Month: October 2020

Readers join Jabari as he challenges himself with another quest -- to make a flying machine that will fly across his yard! His independent ingenuity leads to failed attempt after failed attempt, despite marvelous creativity and concentration. Reflecting on the process followed by famous inventors like Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson and Roy Allela, Jabari leans… Continue reading Jabari Tries by Gaia Cornwall

All Because You Matter by Tami Charles is a dream come true. Literally and figuratively. In the video below you'll get to hear from the author Tami Charles how this book came to her in a dream and how she knew the only person that could capture her dreams and put it into visuals was… Continue reading All Because You Matter

My child won't write! He won't pick up a pencil, no matter how much I demand, cajole, threaten or beg...." Is this what you hear from families who are trying to facilitate remote learning at home? That has been one of the biggest complaints from families at my school. It makes me so sad to… Continue reading Writers’ Workshop at Home: Support for Families

There before us was Haystack – the famous Cannon Beach rock that juts hundreds of feet from the surf.  It was so beautiful, but my attention was not on this giant rock.  It was on the lawns just past the dunes.  Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a snow-white bunny nibbling on… Continue reading A Surprise at Cannon Beach

Get out the Vote!  Kate Messner’s History Smashers: Women’s Right to Vote,  illustrated by Dylan Meconis, is an inspiring and timely history of the centuries of struggle that women waged to vote in America. History Smashers: Women's Right to Vote - Written by Kate Messner and Illustrated by Dylan Meconis When we think of the… Continue reading History Smashers: Women’s Right To Vote

I Believe I Can is written by Grace Byers and illustrated by Keturah A. Bobo. I added this book to our classroom to increase my diverse books collection. The story is filled with positive affirmations guiding readers to believe in themselves. What I found interesting was my students responses after hearing the book and each… Continue reading I Believe I Can

I have a collection of books that I often place into a basket labeled “Monsters, Ghouls, and Ghosts,” for readers who enjoy supernatural tales with a bit of spookiness. With a ghost as the protagonist, Gustavo, the Shy Ghost is a picture book that could certainly be put into such a book basket. But, from… Continue reading Gustavo, the Shy Ghost by Flavia Z. Drago

Halfway through the school year, I conferred with a reader who had reached a hurdle in his reading life. During independent reading time, I noticed that engagement was drifting away. His eyes were wandering, his head was down, or a conversation unrelated to reading had been sparked. After a few days of observations and redirection,… Continue reading Representation Matters

One thing I love about teaching is creating anchor charts with my students.  I know, it sounds crazy, but I love it.  I love the discussions that take place as students share their thinking, and I love seeing the anchor charts evolve as students begin to think more deeply about a story.  When we are… Continue reading Reimagining Anchor Charts in the Virtual Environment

In the classroom, often times student struggle when trying to differentiate fiction from nonfiction. Sometimes, I will give students a group of books that they have to sort into two groups: fiction or nonfiction. A similar activity can also be done with informational fiction titles. "Informational fiction presents facts and information within a fictional story."… Continue reading The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story

I walked into this bookstore, skeptical about what I might find because there weren't any children's books in the window. Now, I should know never to judge something at first glance. The entire back room of this store is devoted to a lovingly curated collection of books for children. I was lucky to be the… Continue reading Treasures from an Independent Book Store in the Pacific Northwest

One thing I have always loved about teaching the upper elementary grades is the love of series books that blossoms within a classroom. When third grade begins, students speak about the main characters of series books as if they are old friends; Pedro, Mercy Watson, Yasmin, and so many others are part of our classroom… Continue reading The Princess in Black and the Giant Problem

Red Shoes Written by Karen English Illustrated by Ebony Glenn Karen English, a Coretta Scott King honoree, recently published a new picture book called, Red Shoes. You may know Karen English as the author of the chapter book series Nikkie and Deja and The Carver Chronicles.  Red Shoes begins as the story of Malika whose… Continue reading Red Shoes, By Karen English

Squirrels plus Donuts = a perfectly delicious story I don't know about you, but I'm in the mood for a good laugh right about now. Mika Song delivers those laughs in this hilarious entry level graphic novel, Donut Feed the Squirrels. Two best squirrel buds smell pancakes (read maple syrup) one morning and it's all… Continue reading Donut Feed the Squirrels by Mika Song

This book, based on a true story, teaches children about perseverance and following their dreams -- even if those dreams don't fit society's standards. The main character, known as Drum Dream Girl, would love to play the drum. However, on the island where she lives, girls are not allowed to play drums. Nevertheless she never… Continue reading Drum Dream Girl – How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music by Margarita Engle

When my kids were young, each evening we shared highlights from our day. This small ritual helped us notice how it is the little moments that touch our hearts, not the grandiose events. Even though my kids are grown, and on their own, I still think about the highlights of my day. Sometimes my husband… Continue reading Small Moments of Joyful Magic

Meet Rocket. Rocket is clever and creative. (Have you seen her flyers for the Phoenix Meteor Shower tonight?) Rocket lives with her mom, brother, and cat. (Why is her big brother, Jamal, aaaaaaaaalllllways on his phone?) Rocket is a lover of all things space. (Did you know that Mae Jemison went into space even though she is… Continue reading Rocket Says Look Up! by Nathan Bryon, illustrated by Dapo Adeola

Tired of his daily course of salad, however magnifique, Escargot crawls to the library to find a cookbook. He meets a reader along the way and, although he promises not to distract, engages her in his quest for the perfect cookbook. This quest evolves into a “how-to” book of sorts as Escargot details his journey,… Continue reading A Book for Escargot by Dashka Slater & Sydney Hanson

Last year I was introduced to the Mood Meter, a tool developed by the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence. The meter is divided into four zones that represent a category of feelings based on their energy and pleasantness. The goal of the tool is to help people identify and label their emotions in an effort… Continue reading Teaching Emotional Intelligence with Picture Books and the Mood Meter

As I travel across country, I’ve taken photos of signs that get my attention.  These creative expressions make me smile because their message is so clever. I love how these signs turn something negative into a joyful moment for readers.  I hope to use this collection of signs in a variety of ways when I… Continue reading Word Choice Matters