Blog Posts, Read Aloud

Amara and the Bats

Amara and the Bats models ways student can channel their concerns for the environment into civic action. Its not uncommon these days for young readers to be aware of challenges facing our planet's ecosystems and their most vulnerable creatures. Amara and the Bats by #KidLit4Climate campaign founder, Emma Reynolds aims to inspire the next generation of… Continue reading Amara and the Bats

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A letter from your teacher…

My back to school line up, with my new addition, front and center. Written by Shannon Olsen and illustrated but Sandie Sonke, this beautifully written letter written to students assuring them of teachers' hopes and dreams and sharing the true love and passion teachers have to support and help their students learn and grow. As… Continue reading A letter from your teacher…

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I Do Not Like Yolanda

After a week of displaying welcome back to school and other feel good titles on my picture book easel, I put out I Do Not Like Yolanda by Zoey Abbott.  I just let it sit there, unread, staring out into the classroom watching students.  Each day I would head toward the easel, which also has… Continue reading I Do Not Like Yolanda

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Saving American Beach: The Biography of African American Environmentalist MaVynee Betsch, written by Heidi Tyline King and illustrated by Ekua Holmes

I learned of this new release when I was visiting the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston this past August. At the very end of my afternoon tour, I rounded a corner and...it was "love at first sight". I was mesmerized and emotionally moved by this masterpiece: The young girl in the picture was highly… Continue reading Saving American Beach: The Biography of African American Environmentalist MaVynee Betsch, written by Heidi Tyline King and illustrated by Ekua Holmes

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Palatero Man

Ring! Ring! Ring!Can you hear his call?Paletas for one! Paletas for all! When you read Palatero Man by Lucky Diaz to your students, you will quickly hear them joining in this joyful refrain. It’s a story of a young boy as he travels through his neighborhood in Los Angeles in search of the Palatero Man,… Continue reading Palatero Man

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30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag by Amanda Davis

As the 20th anniversary of 9/11 neared, I found myself unsure of how to approach this sensitive topic with my young students. Thankfully, Amanda Davis and her debut picture book, 30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag, provided the perfect solution. In 30,000 Stitches, Amanda Davis delicately recounts the events of 9/11… Continue reading 30,000 Stitches: The Inspiring Story of the National 9/11 Flag by Amanda Davis

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Welcome to Our Reading Community

I'd like you to think for a moment about what we might share with other kids and teachers about our reading community. What makes our reading community special? "We do Meet Someone New Monday." -N On Mondays, my students are introduced to someone who has contributed to the world in their own unique way. By… Continue reading Welcome to Our Reading Community

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A Small Kindness by Stacy McAnulty

A Small Kindness It’s easy to be kind when it’s a small problem, it’s hard to be kind when it’s a big problem. - Aiden, First Grader I had popped into this first grade classroom to relieve a busy teacher as they were wrapping up a discussion on kindness. Aiden floored me with this comment and… Continue reading A Small Kindness by Stacy McAnulty

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When Grandfather Flew by Patricia MacLachlan

Our family has been going through a season of loss. I'm sure we aren't alone. Like any situation, happy or sad, we've turned to the world of children's literature to help us navigate tricky situations, big feelings, and to spark conversations. My nine year old daughter has been having a particularly hard time after we… Continue reading When Grandfather Flew by Patricia MacLachlan

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Extraordinary! Penny Harrison & Katie Wilson

As we begin this school year, perhaps a little unsettled from the last year and a half, our wonderful superintendent encouraged the educators in our district to ease into this year giving the students time to adjust, to settle in. She charged us with focusing on community building, the social emotional needs of each student.… Continue reading Extraordinary! Penny Harrison & Katie Wilson

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The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop: How to Decolonize the Creative Classroom, by Felicia Rose Chavez

At heart, the Anti-Racist writing workshop imports a pedagogy of deep listening—Felicia Rose Chavez I highly recommend this book for all educators who teach reading and writing. While Chavez works mostly with adult students, and much of her focus in the book is about making thoughtful, purposeful changes in a college-level writing workshop, her basic… Continue reading The Anti-Racist Writing Workshop: How to Decolonize the Creative Classroom, by Felicia Rose Chavez