Author: Laurie Ryan (Contributor 2019-2020)

This school year we launched our Wonder Wall in the library and began a program that released students to explore topics they were curious about as they practiced and learned reading and writing strategies. The feeling of freedom that students began to feel as they chose topics that most interested them brought excitement and energy… Continue reading Keeping Curiosity Reading & Writing Alive at Home

In my quest for great poetry books, I came across Amy Ludwig VanDerwater's newest collection, Write! Write! Write! I am a huge fan of her amazingly useful website, The Poem Farm and her previous poetry collection, Read! Read! Read! touched my librarian heart. In this latest treasure, beautifully illustrated by Ryan O'Rourke, there are poems… Continue reading Write! Write! Write! Poems by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater

Neither by Airlie Anderson is a beautiful story about trying to fit in and feeling valued and included. In the world of yellow birds and blue bunnies, a green egg hatches into a creature that is neither/both. After being excluded from the "Land of This and That", the creature discovers a new land where all… Continue reading Neither by Airlie Anderson

Nya’s Long Walk to Water: A Step at a Time by Linda Sue Park and illustrated by Brian Pinkney is a new book I have been reading with my second and third grade students. These award winners have paired up to create this companion picture book to the middle grade novel, A Long Walk to… Continue reading Nya’s Long Walk to Water: A Step at a Time by Linda Sue Park and illustrated by Brian Pinkney

In our students’ busy, over-scheduled lives it is critical that we remind them how to relax, to take time to slow down and live in the moment. Sun by Alison Oliver is a great book to help spread that message. It is about taking time away from our routines and letting life take us down… Continue reading Sun by Alison Oliver

This month I have chosen to highlight Malala’s Magic Pencil written by Malala Yousafzai and illustrated by Kerascoët. This beautifully illustrated picture book quickly engages young readers as Malala imagines using a magic pencil to create objects that she would like to have or give as gifts to others. Malala shares her story of becoming… Continue reading Malala’s Magic Pencil

Are you looking for a simple text that gives young students a lot to think about? Ogilvy by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by T.L. McBeth is a story about acceptance and standing up for yourself. Ogilvy,  the new bunny in town, is surprised to discover that there are rules that determine which games a bunny… Continue reading Ogilvy by Deborah Underwood

A World of Kindness From the Editors & Illustrators of Pajama Press is a beautiful book with simple text that reminds us all how easy it is to be kind. One feature of this picture book is that it is written as a series of questions. "Are you kind? "Do you wait your turn?" "Will… Continue reading A World of Kindness From the Editors & Illustrators of Pajama Press