Author: Soondarie Barker

As we prepare for summer vacation, I’ve been on the hunt for that ”just right” addition to teachers’ gifts. Well, I found a treasure that can solidly stand on its own. Kobi Yamada has a wonderful collection of gift books for a myriad of occasions. In my search, I found this panegyric on teachers. The… Continue reading Because I had a Teacher by Kobe Yamada and Natalie Russell

It’s not often - wait, no - It’s not ever, that I get to share a story without a single interruption. There was utter silence as I projected the illustrations of this work from the SMART Board while I read the text. Indeed, Kindergartners sat transfixed by the message so craftily told and illustrated. Van… Continue reading Wishes by Muon Thi Van & Victo Ngai

ratedreads.com Have you ever finally settled down with a book that you’ve been ever so patiently waiting to read, just to be completely disheartened by the language or the nature of the content? Or, have you perused your teen’s required reading or friend suggestions to your utter dismay! It seems to me that more frequently… Continue reading Resource for Young Adult and Adult Readers

Do you remember these books? I remember so clearly reading and rereading my copies of Fish is Fish, Inch by Inch, Alexander and the Wind-up Mouse, and Frederick. As a college student, I took a class on children’s storybooks, and remember being aghast at the fact that Swimmy was placed on the banned books list… Continue reading Mouse Seasons by Leo Lionni

Dear Readers, I promised an update regarding last month's endeavor, and am happy to report that it was a success. My kindergarten class has spent the last three weeks writing letters to the greater community, friends, and family. What a wonderful experience. In response to our preschool information night for families, we invited Kindergartners to… Continue reading Letter Writing

Dear Readers, As the second show I’ve tried to watch today watches me, these oldies but, goodies are running through my head; Dear Mr. Blueberry, Can I be Your Dog?, Dear Primo, Dear Mrs. LaRue, The Jolly Postman and Other People’s Letters, Letters from Maisy, Dear Juno, Dragon Post… An idea is brewing. Over the… Continue reading Letter Writing: Building and Maintaining Relationships

by Brad and Kristi Montague Sometimes we struggle to teach our children how to navigate those facets of life in which we are continuous learners. It is a constant grapple for us to understand and attend to the dynamic network of relationships that constitutes human social systems. In this book, The Circles All Around Us,… Continue reading The Circles All around Us

Art therapist, author and illustrator, Anna Llenas, delivers with this tale, The Color Monster. As the story unfurls, we meet Color Monster. Take a look at a clip of our Kindergartners’ dramatization. Color monster: (With hands on either side of his face like Munch’s iconic Scream) “OMG, I’m all mixed up! This is like really… Continue reading The Color Monster by Anna Llenas

by Alice Schertle As we tackle the many walks of life at school, we are constantly asking our students to define for themselves, and reveal to their community, who they are. Exploring this big question requires an inner dialogue, experiences and action. Good literature can also help as we seek to develop this awareness. Our… Continue reading Time for School Little Blue Truck

Summer is behind us. For some, this is the first or second week of school. For others, it’s a prep week. For me, it’s prep, as well as Kindergarten orientation and screening. Like some of my colleagues, I’m most comfortable with a solid set of plans to start the year. This year, as always, I… Continue reading Mindful Mr. Sloth by Katy Hudson

For the past one and a half school years, as the use of technology as a teaching tool exploded, the issues of equity and differentiated learning have been served up in every conversation. The umbrella under which these practices lie in personalized learning. We all agree that learning is a highly individual endeavor. This summer,… Continue reading Equity in Education

As of today, there are twelve more days before summer vacation. During some of the trickier times this year, summer seemed so far off. Now, it’s at our doorsteps, and ready to be welcomed in. As the opening song of one of my favorite childhood movies (Sarah, Plain and Tall) echos in my mind... Sumer… Continue reading My Summer Spread

“If you look for the bad in people, expecting to find it, you surely will.” Abraham Lincoln. I remember discussing this quote with my mom, after I’d heard it on one of my favorite childhood movies, Pollyanna. Hardly anyone in the town of Harrington cared to attend Sunday service as the minister was sure to… Continue reading Hello World! By Kelly Corrigan and Stacy Ebert

On Monday, we welcome our cohorts to school as a unified class. Over the past six months, kindergartners in Cohorts A and B have learned about each other, shared their joys, and collaborated on projects through letters. To say that they are excited to greet each other in person on next week is an understatement.… Continue reading A Little Spot of Teamwork by Diane Alber

Two sides to every story, black and white, all or nothing... These beliefs capture the extremes of human nature which stop us in our tracks; for we are then, unable to see or accept the alternatives. "Room on our Rock" can be read from two perspectives. From front to back, according to my kindergartners, "the… Continue reading Room on Our Rock by Jol and Kate Temple and Terri Rose Baynton

by Lorna Gutierrez and Polly Noakes Gutierrez and Noakes capture all that’s altruistic and absolute about childhood. “Dare to trust” “Dare to inspire” “Dare to see when others don’t”. Children are generally unadulterated, and able to see the good in what adults often see as a sea of darkness. Children are generally more uninhibited, and… Continue reading Dare to Dream Big

by Diane Alber Alber’s first publication, I’m not Just a Scribble, was released in 2017. Since then, Alber has graced the literary community with single editions and box sets that not only inspire readers to explore and appreciate their own creativity, but also revive the reader’s thinking about the kind of values, morals, and characteristics… Continue reading A Little Spot Takes Action Series

During this time of year when many are in a flurry trying to find that “just right” gift for loved ones, Diane Alber’s message of the perfect intangible gifts are much appreciated. Unlike the games, toys, clothes, and jewels being sought, these gifts have no physical presence. They can’t be touched, but the impact of… Continue reading A Little Spot of Giving by Diane Alber

You don’t have to imagine how Daisy feels when her Papi reaches home. You don’t have to try to hear the motorcycle revving in this story. You don’t have to visit Corona to experience what life was like just a short while ago. You don’t have to wonder at the team’s purpose in writing and… Continue reading My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero and Zeke Peña

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

“My hope is that this book will help teachers strengthen the bond they have with their students, and that their students have with each other.” Shannon Olsen and Sandie Sonke, you nailed it! I’m confident in making the statement that Educators around the globe are engaged in a very personal, heart-wrenching battle against self. As… Continue reading Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen and Sandie Sonke

Nine year old Chakra Sreekanth started working on this book in Kindergarten. With a little help from his parents, by the start of his second grade year, he was a published author. I’m always inspired by authors’ stories. Chakra’s and his parents’ work is awe inspiring. At this tender age, he recognizes the value of… Continue reading All Shapes Matter by Chakra Sreekanth

Olaf, from the movie Frozen, can’t imagine anything more wonderful than summer. Having never experienced the buzzing of bees, kids blowing dandelion fuzz, summer breezes, and his “skin” against the sand, Olaf’s imaginings and anticipation of the season runs wild. Like Olaf, I love summer! There’s nothing better, in my opinion, than toes on sun-soaked… Continue reading Happy Summer!

I looked out the window the other day and sighed heavily at the fact that my plans to take my son out to play were thwarted by a downpour. “Miserable rain!” I thought. Resigned to my fate, I decided to spend a few minutes gathering some materials to prepare a lesson for my Google Classroom… Continue reading Heatwave by Eileen Spinelli and Betsy Lewin

In this beautiful composition, Hische reminds us that all that matters at the end of the day are our simple acts of kindness. She invites readers, as they lay their heads down to sleep, to reflect on their actions, and contemplate how one’s regard for another has the power to transform self, thereby, affecting positive… Continue reading Tomorrow I’ll be Kind by Jessica Hische

Like the roots of most trees, our roots are often invisible to those around us. Yet, they are the very core of our being. Diaz and Espinosa’s work capture this truth. The main character of Islandborn is Lola, a child of Dominican origin, who seeks to find out just where her roots are buried. Too… Continue reading Islandborn by Junot Diaz and Leo Espinosa

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

The data says it all: 17 votes to 3. Wordy Birdy is a garrulous, gabby, gleeful bird. She attends to everything, and in so doing, neglects to give her undivided attention to anything. On a typical Wordy Birdy day, she’s out and about and distracted by the world. Her friends try everything they can to… Continue reading Wordy Birdy by Tammi Sauer & Dave Mottram

What if? When disaster strikes, people harness the power to rebuild self and society, to refine, as they recreate. As detailed in the author's note of this wonderful journey, Samantha Berger was forced to do just that; rethink, refine and recreate, when a flood took all that she had. Mike Curato uses a myriad of… Continue reading What If…

An alien invasion is afoot, and the redeemer of the misjudged, misunderstood; those poor souls unable to set the story straight by their own means, has gone rogue. As a Hulk-sized Mr. Wolf reeks havoc through the city, and the threat of aliens looms, the "BEST OF THE BEST" must put their heads together and… Continue reading The Bad Guys: The Big Bad Wolf by Aaron Blabey