I Miss My Grandpa, written by Jin Xiaojing, is about a girl who misses her grandpa whom she never met. Her grandma, along with other members of the family, help the girl learn about her grandpa by comparing the traits of different family members to those of her grandpa. This helped the girl develop a… Continue reading I Miss My Grandpa by Jin Xiaojing
Month: January 2020
Come With Me…Follow Us
I look up at the 30 kids sitting on my rug and think...this is it, the moment I've been waiting for. It's time to read "Come With Me." There are books that are fun to read; books that make you laugh; books that make you sad; books that make you feel big things; books that… Continue reading Come With Me…Follow Us
We Are Grateful–Otsaliheliga
“Otsaliheliga,” We are grateful! I am grateful for this wonderful book about a journey through the seasons with a Cherokee family by Traci Sorell and illustrated by Frané Lessac. Sorell, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, describes in detail how a Cherokee family moves through the year and the seasons, calling attention to everything they… Continue reading We Are Grateful–Otsaliheliga
Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border, written by Mitali Perkins and illustrated by Sara Palacios
Mitali Perkins’ words and Sara Palacios’ illustrations weave together seamlessly to tell the emotional story of a family’s trip to see Abuela during the holiday season. Maria, her little brother, Juan, and their mother travel by bus from San Diego to the U.S-Mexico border. Having not seen Abuela in five years, their experience is fueled… Continue reading Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border, written by Mitali Perkins and illustrated by Sara Palacios
A Boy Like You by Frank Murphy
As I got ready to read this book to a group of 1st graders I was visiting, I knew they would enjoy the book. No doubt. But I must say, my favorite part is always hearing the children's words and reactions to a book. I often wonder, What would they say?, Would they love this… Continue reading A Boy Like You by Frank Murphy
The Patchwork Bike, by Maxine Beneba Clarke
The best thing of all to play with under the stretching-out sky at the edge of the no-go desert… is me and my brothers’ bike.The Patchwork Bike by Maxine Beneba Clarke So says the young, female narrator of this beautiful, compelling, multi-layered story. It is a description of the “patchwork” bike that she and her… Continue reading The Patchwork Bike, by Maxine Beneba Clarke
Ho’onani: Hula Warrior
Is Ho'onani wahine (girl) or kane (boy)? She doesn't see herself as either. Instead she feels most comfortable somewhere in the middle. Ho'onani: Hula Warrior is based on the true story of 11-year-old Ho'onani Kamai of Honolulu, Hawaii. The reader can't help but think about gender roles/identity and also about love, unconditional acceptance, and determination… Continue reading Ho’onani: Hula Warrior
Hurricane Child
by Kheryn Challender No one would ever say, "Come and join us, Caroline," so I would then spend the rest of the lunch period feeling sorry for myself and trying to remember that the lonely children like me are the ones who grow up to be someone that everyone wishes they could be.” Hurricane Child… Continue reading Hurricane Child
Thinker My Puppy Poet and Me by Eloise Greenfield
Thinker My Puppy Poet and Me by Eloise Greenfield is a book we will be revisiting again and again to work through layers literacy opportunities as a reader and a writer. It's a fascinating book for poems in narrative voice alternating between a young boy and his dog. I was hooked at a dog writing… Continue reading Thinker My Puppy Poet and Me by Eloise Greenfield
Worry Moves On by Liz Haske
Worry Moves On is the second book in Liz Haske's "Worry Series" following When Worry Takes Hold. As pictured on the cover, Sophia is that kid who loves school and can't wait to do it all again the next day. Unfortunately when Worry arrives, the once-confident Sophia crumples and doesn't feel sure of what she… Continue reading Worry Moves On by Liz Haske
The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard
This book, just published on January 7th, brought my class much joy. In fact, I received a chorus of "Thank You" when I had it in my hands upon students' arrival the morning of January 8th. Genuine gratitude for my trip to Wellesley Books made me that much more excited to open it up with… Continue reading The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard
Spencer’s New Pet, by Jessie Sima
Picture this… 21 students sitting silently “listening” to a story. Only this story is different. There are no words. There is not a sound- not from the teacher or from the students. You can hear a pin drop. This wordless picture book is like no other I have read. Illustrated in black and white with… Continue reading Spencer’s New Pet, by Jessie Sima
It’s Not Hansel and Gretel by Josh Funk
It's Not Hansel and Gretel is Josh Funk's second book focused on rewriting traditional fairy tales and nursery rhymes. Like, It's Not Jack and the Beanstalk, this story takes the classic and gives it a modern twist with multiple perspectives. Funk expertly weaves the voices of each of the characters with playful banter from the… Continue reading It’s Not Hansel and Gretel by Josh Funk
Snowy Race by April Jones Prince
Your lesson ended five minutes early, but you have to line up for specials soon. Tonight will be a full moon, and there’s a storm brewing outside. Any teacher knows free time on a low barometric pressure day and a full moon night spells D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R. That’s why you should keep a copy of April Jones… Continue reading Snowy Race by April Jones Prince
Exciting News!
Author and third grade teacher, Jody J. Little is joining the TBR Blogging Team. Jody writes books for middle-grade readers and I got the chance to ask her a few questions: Published in March 2019 Releases on March 10, 2020 What did you learn from writing this book that helps you teach your students? In… Continue reading Exciting News!
Layla’s Happiness by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie
“This is a book about Layla’s Happiness. What is happiness for you?” In this sweet picture book, written by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie and illustrated by Ashleigh Corrin, seven-year-old Layla talks directly to the reader - sharing all the feelings, experiences, and thoughts that mean happiness to her. From dark purple plums, to special moments with… Continue reading Layla’s Happiness by Mariahadessa Ekere Tallie
Pluto Gets the Call by Adam Rex
What do you MEAN I'm not a PLANET anymore?Pluto Gets the call When some earth scientists decide Pluto isn't a planet anymore, the solar system's largest ice dwarf has a bit of an identity crisis. Pluto ventures out of the Kuiper Belt to visit his friends Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Earth, Venus, Mercury, and… Continue reading Pluto Gets the Call by Adam Rex
Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson and illustrated by Frank Morrison
I must admit that I didn’t know about the Children’s Crusade of 1963 until I read this book. I was awed by the commitment and bravery of these children who marched in protest of segregation and significantly impacted the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King reflected on this event writing, “Looking back, it is clear… Continue reading Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson and illustrated by Frank Morrison
Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
Every kid has that moment where they're so excited to do something new for the first time, like riding a bike without training wheels, taking the big yellow bus to kindergarten, or jumping off the high dive, like Jabari. But even when you really, really want to do something new and exciting for the first… Continue reading Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall
Fungus is Among Us! written by Joy Keller Illustrated by Erica Salcedo
At first I thought that fungus was really gross...but now I think they are good for our planet- Julia, Grade 3 They mixed a storybook with poetry and a BUNCH of facts! - Rain, Grade 3 That's a LOT of fungi! Barely any fungi in my yard! Yeast is fungi. We eat fungi ?!? -… Continue reading Fungus is Among Us! written by Joy Keller Illustrated by Erica Salcedo
I Love Being Me , Uniquely Me
By Karlene J. Froling Illustrated by Kastuv Brahmachari This book was a great tool to teach my preschoolers about self love. For the past months we talked about helping and loving each other , it was time to talk about loving oneself. The particularity of the book is the fact that it represent children with… Continue reading I Love Being Me , Uniquely Me
A Bike Like Sergio’s
Students Said: I like when he finds $100! It was hard for him to give the money back to the owner. He felt mixed up about giving the money back! I think the lesson to learn is if you find money or something, it's not yours, you should try to give it back. Teacher Thoughts:… Continue reading A Bike Like Sergio’s
A Map into the World by Kao Kalia Yang illustrated by Seo Kim
"I started my picture with a teardrop. And then I made it splatter like sunshine." At the beginning of October this caught my attention while Twitter browsing: Completely intrigued, I kept reading. And, in true If You Give a Mouse a Cookie form, was led to this: https://lernerbooks.blog/2019/10/a-map-into-the-world-the-story-behind-the-book.html Then this: https://lernerbooks.blog/2019/10/art-director-notes-a-map-into-the-world.html So, I requested A… Continue reading A Map into the World by Kao Kalia Yang illustrated by Seo Kim
We’re All Wonders by R.J. Palacio
This book told me that I don't have to be like everybody else" - John, Grade 2 The picture book version of the well-loved Wonder brings the character of Auggie into the lives of younger students who can benefit from the simple yet powerful lesson... be kind. Second graders adored this story and… Continue reading We’re All Wonders by R.J. Palacio
The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Rauf
"The entire world is full of hearts searching for a place to call home. But refugees are different, because they don't just look for a home. They look for peace too. And because of that, they possess the most special hearts anyone could ever have." … Continue reading The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Rauf
Little Libraries, Big Heroes by Miranda Paul
If you are a reader of this blog, chances are you are a book lover. If I were a gambling woman, I would also be willing to bet that when you see a Little Free Library, you get a wee bit excited by the thought of peeking inside to see what treasures await. Dear reader,… Continue reading Little Libraries, Big Heroes by Miranda Paul
A Family is a Family is a Family
By Sara O’Leary and Qin Leng ”The teacher asked us what we thought made our family special. I went last because I wasn’t sure what to say. My family is not like everybody else’s.” Throughout this story, O’Leary and Leng masterfully present a kaleidoscope of family dynamics. Gone are the days when the nuclear family… Continue reading A Family is a Family is a Family
Along the Tapajós by Fernando Vilela and translated by Daniel Hahn
Along the Tapajós will transport you to Brazil with it's beautiful illustrations.
We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins
A Favorite Among Kindergarten Students We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins is sure to bring a smile to students. This book is pure enjoyment. It has an action filled plot and a lovable child-eating dinosaur that will engage young learners and grab at their hearts. I read the story to 18 kindergartners.… Continue reading We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan T. Higgins