"Make them special!... Make them yours." Amy loves to create and is very excited to make her own drawing after her teacher reads about dragons to the class. Amy works diligently to make her drawing special as Ms. Mary has directed. Amy's friends do not think Amy's drawing looks like a dragon. Their comments fill… Continue reading Amy Wu and the Patchwork Dragon by Kat Zhang
Tag: Characters We Love
Students fell in love with these characters
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
Planet Omar Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian and illustrated by Nasaya Mafaridik
My name is Omar—this is my face. I have a HUGE imagination. I hate carrots. I once raced against my dad’s car on my bike—and won! Finding wonderful new chapter books for read aloud has been my quest this school year. I was so pleased to discover Planet Omar Accidental Trouble Magnet by #ownvoices author… Continue reading Planet Omar Accidental Trouble Magnet by Zanib Mian and illustrated by Nasaya Mafaridik
Seven Golden Rings: A Tale of Music and Math by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan
I am ringing in the new year with great hope and anticipation of better days ahead. I’m hoping to see my students faces in person and not on the checkerboard of Zoom. I’m hoping to put some of the great books from my classroom library right into their hands. Last month, I had the pleasure… Continue reading Seven Golden Rings: A Tale of Music and Math by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan
Binny’s Diwali by Thrity Umrigar and illustrated by Nidhi Chanani
What a joy to discover Binny’s Diwali written by Thrity Umrigar and colorfully illustrated by Nidhi Chanani. Binny is excited but nervous the day of her class presentation on Diwali, the Festival of Lights. Her mother has set out a special Indian outfit for her to wear, and she even gets to eat warm jalebis… Continue reading Binny’s Diwali by Thrity Umrigar and illustrated by Nidhi Chanani
Penguin Flies Home by Lita Judge
Even fifth graders can’t help but love a penguin story, especially when the penguin has “the soul of an eagle!” This is Lita Judge’s sequel to Flight School, which is another one of my favorite picture books. She creates amusing stories that teach wonderful life lessons. The theme of this book is friendship. It could… Continue reading Penguin Flies Home by Lita Judge
Meet Cilla Lee-Jenkins!
Susan Tan sat among the #ownvoices panel at #nErDcampLI on November 2, 2019. I walked away knowing that I needed to dive into the Cilla Lee-Jenkins series. What I knew was that I would be introduced to a character inspired by Dr. Tan's own childhood: a young girl navigating her Chinese American family while exploring… Continue reading Meet Cilla Lee-Jenkins!
Give and Take by Elly Swartz
You don't want to lose the things or people that leave imprints on your heart.--Elly Swartz Maggie: A twelve-year-old girl who describes herself as someone who cannot love in small doses. She has been missing Nana since Forgot-Me Day, hoping to adopt Izzie as her little sister for keeps, and longs for her trap-shooting team… Continue reading Give and Take by Elly Swartz
Good Rosie! by Kate DiCamillo and Harry Bliss
Teacher Thoughts… It is impossible not to love Kate DiCamillo and adorable dog characters! Rosie is lonely, but she is also hesitant to try anything new. Her owner, George, takes her to the dog park, and after a couple of false starts, she makes friends with two other dogs. This delightful book is perfect to… Continue reading Good Rosie! by Kate DiCamillo and Harry Bliss
A Piglet Named Mercy
Have your favorite readers ever wondered how Mercy came to live with the Watsons on Deckawoo Drive? They don’t need to wonder any more because Kate DiCamillo has shared her vision with us in the endearing picture book, A Piglet Named Mercy. In this prequel to the Mercy Watson series, the “porcine wonder” accidentally finds… Continue reading A Piglet Named Mercy
Short
by Holly Goldberg Sloan I teach in a town where community theater is part of its fabric, so reading Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan as a read aloud seemed like the natural thing to do. My fifth graders loved everything about Julia Marks! At the beginning of the book Julia is on summer vacation feeling… Continue reading Short