The Story of Hockey (easy reader)

The Story of Hockey by Anastasia Suen
A Sports History easy reader

“A brief history of the sport for beginning readers.”
~School Library Journal

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Hardcover/Paperback: 24 pages

Publisher: Rosen/Rigby

Activities:

See the latest hockey news and videos at NHL.com.

Explore the Science of Hockey.

Try this hockey maze puzzle.

Can you find all of the words in this hockey word search?

Make your own Hockey Word Search.

Also available in Spanish:

Literacy Links / Blog Review Policy
Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Go-Kart Rush

Go-Kart Rush by Anastasia Suen (writing as Jake Maddox)
A go-kart novel

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Library Binding / Paperback: 72 pages

Publisher: Stone Arch Books

Tony is used to being the best. With his old kart, he won every single race. But now he’s twelve, and he’s moved up to the next class of racing—TAG karts. Sure, he gets to drive a cool new kart that goes faster than anything he’s ever driven. But he has to race against kids three years older than him, who aren’t nice to him, and who have been driving TAG karts for years. How is Tony supposed to get used to losing? And when Jon, one of the older kids, invites him to practice, is Jon just setting Tony up for more embarrassment?

Activities:

Play the online Go-Kart Racing Game. (Control your Go-Kart by using the 4 arrow keys.)

Download the free KartingRace Game and practice by yourself or race against 1-5 opponents.

Use math to win the Go-Go Go-Karts online racing game. You can play by yourself or with a friend.

Watch the Rotax US Grand Nationals this month to see who will be going to the World Finals in Egypt!

Visit the World Karting Association’s webpage to find out when the next karting race is in your area.

Literacy Links
Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Skate Park Challenge

Skate Park Challenge by Anastasia Suen (writing as Jake Maddox)
A skateboarding novel

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Library Binding / Paperback: 72 pages

Publisher: Stone Arch Books

After Nick is injured skateboarding, he is forced to take a break from his daily visits to the skate park. He is determined to heal in time for the big competition, especially because he wants to beat Brandon, the bully responsible for his injury. With a little practice, Nick hopes he’ll be able to skate killer half-pipes and thin rails just like the pros. If he can pull off every move, he’s sure to end up at the top of the scoreboard.

Activities:

Explore the physics of skateboarding tricks in Skateboard Science.

Find new videos and features everyday at SKATEboarding..

Keep up with the latest news and videos at Skateboarder.

Watch X Games 15 skateboarding videos.

See the Nike Skateboarding Team’s photos and videos.

Literacy Links
Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

BMX Bully

BMX Bully by Anastasia Suen (writing as Jake Maddox)
A BMX novel

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Library Binding / Paperback: 72 pages

Publisher: Stone Arch Books

Matt’s chances of making the Evergreen Racing Team are seriously threatened when Tyler moves into town. Tyler is as mean as they come out on the racetrack. To make matters worse, Tyler’s dad bought the track, and he refuses to enforce any of the BMX racing rules. While this is an advantage to Tyler, a real BMX bully, Matt insists in riding by the rules. If Tyler would stop cheating, Matt might actually have a chance of making the team.

Activities:

Watch videos of this year’s X Games 15 BMX winners!

See the BMX Photo of the Day.

Visit the BMX Hall of Fame.

Check out the BMX Nationals Schedule for a race near you.

Use the BMX Bully Reader’s Theater Kit in your school or library.

Literacy Links
Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

On the Radio

I’m on Book Bites for Kids on Blog Talk Radio – Monday 6/29 at 2pm Central. Give me a call!

Literacy Links
Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

The Clubhouse

The Clubhouse by Anastasia Suen
Peter’s Neighborhood easy reader series

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Hardcover/Paperback: 32 pages

Publisher: Viking/Puffin

A pile of junk or a brand-new clubhouse? When Peter, Archie, and Louie see the pile of wood, they think it’s just a big mess. But when Amy and Lily look at it, they see a clubhouse that’s waiting to be built. Louie’s father says that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. Is he right?

Activities:

June is National Safety Month!

Use these safety craft ideas and lesson plans from Crayola.

Make a first aid or emergency preparedness kit.

Talk about safety all year long.

Literacy Links
Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Twittering My Day Job(s)

“Keep your day job” is the advice given to writers everywhere, and it’s something I’ve done my entire life. I wrote my first picture book when I was eleven, so going to school was my day job then. After college, I taught elementary school (K, 1, 5, and 6), raised children…and kept writing. I started working as an children’s literature consultant and then I sold my first book. That led to teaching at the university, both children’s literature and writing for children, which in turn led to my online writing workshops!

For ALL of my day jobs, I collect reference materials. With the advent of the internet, it’s become a LOT easier to share that information. The internet’s latest invention, a microblogging service called Twitter, has made it easier still.

I’ve created two Twitter microblogs so I can share the information I find:

asuen1 is my Children’s Book Biz Twitter
asuen2 is my Literacy Links Twitter

If you want to write children’s books, the asuen1 Twitter will give you information about agents, editors, and changes in the book industry.

If you’re helping children learn how to read and write, the asuen2 Twitter will send you links to literacy/education websites.

BOTH asuen1 and asuen2 will link to book awards and reading lists.

Twitter is a MICROblog, so only 140 characters are allowed. The “posts” I send will be a headline and a link for you to click. (After the link I’ll add a hashtag that “classifies” the link, such as #kidlit, #writing, #literacy, and #education.)

Q. What will happen to the other blogs?

A. The Kid Lit Kit blog is going on summer vacation. My last post for the 2008-2009 school year will be on June 1.

Picture Book of the Day will resume again tomorrow and continue throughout the summer.

Book of the Week and 5 Great Books will resume posting next week.

The posts on Children’s Book Biz News will come from the asuen1 Twitter. This means that most posts will be a headline, a link, and hashtags. (I will write “long form” posts on the WordPress blog, but most of my posts will be Twitter-based. I can share a link from the web via Twitter with just a few clicks!)

Enjoy!

Inservice Clock Hours | The Butt-In-Chair Club starts June 1st!
Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

The Story of Hockey

The Story of Hockey by Anastasia Suen
A Sports History easy reader

A brief history of the sport for beginning readers.

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Hardcover/Paperback: 24 pages

Publisher: Rosen/Rigby

Activities:

See the latest hockey news and videos at NHL.com.

Explore the Science of Hockey.

Try this hockey maze puzzle,

Make your own Hockey Word Search.

Also available in Spanish:

Twitter | Inservice Clock Hours | Virtual Author Visits
Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Man on the Moon

Man on the Moon by Anastasia Suen
A picture book about the Apollo 11 moon landing.

Reading level: Ages 4-8

Paperback: 32 pages

Publisher: Puffin Books

Photos:

NASA’s photos of Apollo 11.

See three Apollo 11 videos: Watch the earth launch, the moon landing, and the first step on the moon.

See and hear the Apollo 11 Mission at the History Place.

Activities:

Create your own Moon Art with the Eagle moon lander.

Use the Six Trait Writing Mini-lessons at Picture Book of the Day.

For lesson plans and more, visit Challenging the Space Frontier

***

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing and Children’s Book Week, 
I’ll give a FREE Virtual Visit to one class on Wednesday, May 13, 2009.

Email me to enter your class in the drawing.  
I’ll draw the winner’s name on Space Day, May 1st!

Poetry Month Blog | Inservice Clock Hours | Virtual Author Visits
Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Ice Cream Money

Ice Cream Money by Anastasia Suen
A math easy reader

Comparing their different combinations of coins, three friends prepare to buy a yummy after-lunch treat in the school cafeteria.

Reading level: E

Paperback: 16 pages

Publisher: Bebop Books

This book is also available in Spanish and in both languages as a very large “Lap Book”

Activities:

See the new coins for 2009.

Try the Money Games at Apples4theTeacher.

Use the Ice Cream Money lesson plans for reading as well as art, music, math, science, social studies, music, and language arts cross-curricular activities.

Poetry Month Blog | Inservice Clock Hours | Virtual Author Visits
Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.