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Great
Lakes Great Books Award
The Great Lakes Great Books Award is given annually to five books chosen
by Michigan students in grades K-12. Books are nominated by students,
teachers, librarians, publishers, and others interested in excellent
quality books for children and teens. Students read the books nominated
for their grade level and vote for their favorite. Winning books are
announced at the Michigan Reading Association's annual conference in
March.
The Great Lakes Great Books Award encourages children and teens to
read more great books. It provides excellent opportunities for young
people to discuss books, writing, and illustration with their teachers,
parents, librarians, and other caring adults. The award recognizes authors
of great books for young people for the wonderful work they do to promote
joyous literacy.
The 2007 Great Lakes Great Books voting ballots must be received by January
30, 2008, and should be mailed to:
Lynette Marten Suckow
Great Lakes Great Books - Nominations
604 Mesnard Street
Marquette, MI 49855
or faxed to Lynette Marten Suckow at: (906) 226-1783.
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A note from the Great Lakes Great Books kindergarten and first grade winner, April Pulley Sayre…
Dear Children of Michigan,
Thank you for voting for TROUT, TROUT, TROUT: A FISH CHANT and giving it your Great Lakes Book Award. I am so thrilled about this award! For me, the chant books are about celebrating yummy words and biodiversity—the wonderful variety of plants and animals.
Perhaps if fish could speak English they would say "thank you," too. Some fish do make noises and maybe you could call that speaking. I have heard fish making noises on coral reefs. I have heard fish calling from below my canoe in the Amazon River in Peru. Some fish in California keep houseboat owners up all night with fish songs! Maybe if you listen you will discover fish in Michigan make calls, as well.
I live 7 miles from Michigan so I love your state and visit it often. I enjoy the wildflowers and birds at Warren Woods State Park, Sleeping Bear Dunes, Seney National Wildlife Refuge, and Whitefish Point, Michigan. Perhaps I will meet some of you when I travel to do school visits in your state.
A few of you asked how the trout chant began. Well, one day in South Bend, Indiana, I joined a fish biologist who was studying fish in a stream that flows through my backyard. The stream doesn't look like much. We live in a city and to some people, this creek is a ditch. Imagine my surprise when we waded into the stream and saw so many varieties of fish! Soon I became curious about fish and read a book about freshwater fish. I learned how wonderful they are, and what funny names they have. The names began to bounce around in my head and make rhymes and rhythms. That is how the trout chant began.
If you like the tongue twisters in TROUT, TROUT, TROUT: a FISH CHANT, you might like those in ANT, ANT, ANT: AN INSECT CHANT. or BIRD, BIRD, BIRD: A CHIRPING CHANT, which is coming in October, 2007. I can't seem to stop chanting. I even have a chant book about vegetables. Here's a sample for you to try:
Rah, rah, radishes, red and white!
Carrots are calling. Take a bite!
Root for rutabagas, bounce for beets!
Turnips and parsnips, roasted treats!
Having fun with language is part of the joy of being a writer. I hope you will enjoy studying about animals and playing with yummy words.
Warm Wishes,
April Pulley Sayre, author
www.aprilsayre.com
South Bend, Indiana
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