Book Review (sort of): Sydney & Simon Full STEAM Ahead!

Sydney & Simon Full STEAM Ahead! by Paul A. Reynolds, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, is easily one of my favorite books out this year. I think it's truly an outstanding beginning chapter book--it's got one central premise that we never lost sight of, but will interesting plot developments and twists throughout to keep everything interesting. That is, beginning readers are going to succeed not only in reading the words, but in comprehension, too. It's a very well put-together book.

I love it perhaps even more, however, because it's a truly versatile book. I can hand it to all sorts of customers in a readers' advisory interview (and have done, to great success). Here's a list of just some of the readers' advisory scenarios in which a child and/or caregiver left excited to read Sydney & Simon Full STEAM Ahead!:

• "Do you have any books with twins?"
• "I'm looking for books with science in them."
• "I want my child to read something where the characters only use screens sometimes, not all the time."
• "My child and I are talking about problem-solving. Do you have any stories on that topic?"
• "I really like experiments and what to read a book with them in it."

Now please keep in mind that, when all is said and done, I don't spend much time on the youth information desk here at my new job. So for this book to come up so frequently, and for so many customers to leave happy to have found it--that, I think, is an indicator of a great book.

And I'm not just saying that because I love anything having to do with STEAM content areas.

This title has been hugely popular in my library in the two months we've had it. I, for one, hope this is just the first in a great new series that will entice beginning chapter book readers with both fiction and non-fiction persuasions.

The Stats: Sydney and Simon: Full STEAM Ahead! by Paul A. Reynolds, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, released September 9 from Charlesbridge

N.B. I reviewed this title for School Library Journal this summer, but after seeing just how many families are picking it up at the library, I wanted to share it here, too.

Common Core IRL: Baseball books for beginning readers (grades K-2)

Today marks the first time I'm participating in Common Core IRL (In Real Libraries), a blog hop featuring outstanding librarians and bloggers Mary Ann Scheuer at Great Kids Books, Alyson Beecher at Kit Lit Frenzy, and Cathy Potter and Louise Capizzo at The Nonfiction Detectives. I'm joining the ranks to add an additional perspective to what the Common Core State Standards look like in real libraries.

I should say that the Common Core State Standards are controversial here in Missouri, and it's unclear how much longer they'll be part of the state curriculum. Many of the principles within the CCSS, however, remain excellent for thinking about sharing excellent books--especially non-fiction--with young readers, so I have no qualms about continuing to use the CCSS as a lens to think about the readers' advisory I do in my public librarian job.

This week's topic for Common Core IRL is that quintessential American springtime activity: baseball. I'm talking about non-fiction baseball titles for beginning readers, but you can find other baseball titles for other age ranges on the other Common Core IRL posts this week:

Here's our batting line-up for Common Core IRL: Baseball:

• read aloud picture books (grades K-3) -- Kid Lit Frenzy
• middle grade readers (grades 3-4) -- Great Kid Books
• older middle grade readers (grades 5-6) -- The Nonfiction Detectives
• beginning readers (grades K-2) -- The Show Me Librarian

~*~

No matter how contentious CCSS may get here in Missouri, baseball is a staple. Not a day goes by that I don't see a dozen kids in the library in their baseball/softball uniforms or St. Louis Cardinals gear, and quite frequently they want books to read that support this interest.

In a public library setting, the librarian may not be as familiar with a particular child and their reading level as a school librarian would be. That means it's particularly important to have a range of books on a topic, each at a different level of complexity, so that the reader can get the right book for them. On the topic of baseball for beginning readers, that leaves libraries with several excellent options:

Baseball is Fun! by Robin Nelson (Lerner, 2014)

This simple text for very beginning readers introduces
basic baseball concepts, and it includes an illustration
of a baseball field, a glossary, and an index.

Cool Baseball Facts by Kathryn Clay (Capstone, 2011)

For beginning readers who already understand the fundamentals
of baseball, this title with interesting tidbits and trivia will match
interest with reading level.

On the Team: Baseball by Mason Burdick (Gareth Stevens, 2012)

Higher-level beginning readers will enjoy this in-depth exploration
of baseball, its history, and playing basics. Includes interesting text
features called "The Coach's Corner," which share additional details.

How does this all fit with the Common Core? For beginning readers, the CCSS emphasize reading informational texts appropriate for their grade level (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.10, CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.2.10). That means the library having a batting order with non-fiction options at different levels of complexity, all of them heavy hitters that will engage and interest readers. As beginning readers visit the library this spring and summer completely amped about baseball, we'll have plenty to offer.