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Amy Wu and the Patchwork Dragon by Kat Zhang

"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

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Layla and the BOTS Cupcake Fix by Vicky Fang and illustrated by Christine Nishiyama

Whenever Layla and the Bots get together, awesome things happen. Happy 2022! What awesome things are you planning for your students and classroom in the new year? I love teaching in January. It’s a month where I observe the most growth in my students as readers. Their stamina increases, their inferences deepen, and their willingness… Continue reading Layla and the BOTS Cupcake Fix by Vicky Fang and illustrated by Christine Nishiyama

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All the Way to the Top

By Annette Bay Pimentel Illustrated by Nabi H. Ali All the Way to the Top tells the story of Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins and how she came to participate in the Capital Crawl when she was just 8 years old! The Capital Crawl was a protest considered to be instrumental in getting the Americans with Disabilities Act… Continue reading All the Way to the Top

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Rock-Climbing Champion, Ashima Shiraishi, Teaches Kids About Problem Solving!

Amongst all that feels lost, I am holding onto the magical read aloud moments that still exist. In our quick-paced hybrid model, I am trying to find space where reveling in stories is a possibility. One of those places is our community meetings. Meet Someone New Monday allowed us to introduce ourselves to Ashima Shiraishi,… Continue reading Rock-Climbing Champion, Ashima Shiraishi, Teaches Kids About Problem Solving!

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Acoustic Rooster’s Barnyard Boogie Starring Indigo Blume by Kwame Alexander

When the kids came home from their day of hybrid learning with boom sticks and recorders, I knew the perfect book to get us in the musical mood. Acoustic Rooster's Barnyard Boogie Starring Indigo Blume written by one of my favorite authors, Kwame Alexander and illustrated by Tim Bowers, was the perfect fit. Based on… Continue reading Acoustic Rooster’s Barnyard Boogie Starring Indigo Blume by Kwame Alexander

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The Star Outside My Window by Onjali Q. Rauf

As soon as one of my sixth grade book clubs finished The Boy in the Back of the Class by Onjali Q Rauf, they immediately took to the internet to find other books by the same author.  When they found The Star Outside My Window, they begged me to order it right away! Student Thoughts:… Continue reading The Star Outside My Window by Onjali Q. Rauf

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The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Before we left school due to COVID, one of my sixth grade book clubs had just finished a book that they wanted to blog about. If you are a fan of the Among the Hidden series, you will love the new Greystone Secrets series by Margaret Peterson Haddix.  The first book, entitled The Strangers, will… Continue reading The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix

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Some Places More Than Others by Renée Watson

Some Places More Than Others by Renée Watson An advance copy of this book made it into my hands from our local independent bookstore last spring.  I immediately loved it!  Always on the lookout for a book that fits the complexity we hope for our upper elementary readers without being too mature for them, Some… Continue reading Some Places More Than Others by Renée Watson

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The Light in The Lake by Sarah R Baughman

Addie finds herself caught between science and magic, family and nature, and grief and hope. - The Light in The Lake Teacher Thoughts: The Light in the Lake was the perfect book to bridge our social issue and fantasy units of study in reader's workshop.  Even my most reluctant readers could not put down this… Continue reading The Light in The Lake by Sarah R Baughman

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Worry Moves On by Liz Haske

Worry Moves On is the second book in Liz Haske's "Worry Series" following When Worry Takes Hold. As pictured on the cover, Sophia is that kid who loves school and can't wait to do it all again the next day. Unfortunately when Worry arrives, the once-confident Sophia crumples and doesn't feel sure of what she… Continue reading Worry Moves On by Liz Haske

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Most Marshmallows by Rowboat Watkins

Rowboat Watkins’ Most Marshmallows has been floating around my book collection since February without a permanent home.  Currently living in my love this book but what category bin, on the surface Most Marshmallows is a wonderfully silly tale about marshmallows.  The publisher’s summary includes most marshmallows like to watch television and lead normal lives-but some… Continue reading Most Marshmallows by Rowboat Watkins

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Our House Is On Fire: Greta Thunberg’s Call to Save the Planet by Jeanette Winter

This picture book is a perfect introduction to Greta Thunberg, the sixteen-year-old, Swedish climate activist who is making her voice heard on the global stage.  My fifth grade students connected immediately to Greta. They were inspired by her. In fact, ever since reading about her, they have been creating slideshows detailing ways that they and… Continue reading Our House Is On Fire: Greta Thunberg’s Call to Save the Planet by Jeanette Winter

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Caterpillar Summer by Gillian McDunn

On a good day, Chicken liked to wander.  On a bad day, Chicken would bolt. But no matter what, Cat loved him as wide as the Golden Gate Bridge, as deep as the sea floor, and as fierce as a shark bite. Sixth Grade Book Club Members Think... Caterpillar Summer is a wonderful, figurative language… Continue reading Caterpillar Summer by Gillian McDunn

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PAPER SON, The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist

Paper Son is a gorgeous, new biographical picture book written by Julie Leung and illustrated by Chris Sasaki about the life of unsung Chinese American artist Tyrus Wong. The story follows Tyrus from his immigration to the United States during the Chinese Exclusion Act, through his childhood, to art school, and to his first creative job… Continue reading PAPER SON, The Inspiring Story of Tyrus Wong, Immigrant and Artist

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The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander

Teacher Thoughts: The first time I read The Undefeated, I knew I’d be using it for multiple purposes in my classroom. Author Kwame Alexander wrote the poem that became this beautiful picture book after the birth of his daughter. He wrote it to remind her to never give up and was inspired by the words… Continue reading The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander

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I Survived The Great Molasses Flood, 1919 by Lauren Tarshis

Yes, this really happened!  And, if you live in Massachusetts, it happened close to home - in the North End of Boston!  This tragic event was caused by negligence on the part of the company who owned the molasses tank, United States Industrial Alcohol.  For the first time in American history, a company had to… Continue reading I Survived The Great Molasses Flood, 1919 by Lauren Tarshis

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The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

Every once in a while a book comes along that students and teachers alike can not put down.  The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise is one of those books. The pages are filled with quirky characters, an interesting setting and one of a kind adventures that leave readers at the edge of their seats.  I read… Continue reading The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

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Stella Diaz Has Something to Say by Angela Dominguez

Teacher Thoughts: When I got my copy of Stella Diaz Has Something to Say, I included it at the last minute to our read aloud vote versus Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan and Esperanza Rising by Pam Munoz Ryan. To my surprise, it won. The themes of having a best friend end up in a… Continue reading Stella Diaz Has Something to Say by Angela Dominguez

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The Little Guys by Vera Brosgol

A cautionary tale from Caldecott Honoree Vera Brosgol We are the Little Guys.  Yes, we are small. But there are a lot of us. Together we are strong, and we can get all we need. A new addition to my coaching bag is a sleeper tale, The Little Guys.  This versatile book made the rounds of my… Continue reading The Little Guys by Vera Brosgol

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Brave

by Svetlana Chmakova Teacher Thoughts… This graphic novel is a perfect way to teach older students about the challenges of middle school. Readers learn how being brave and using their voice can help change a negative school culture.  Your students will love how Svetlana Chmakova compares middle school to a video game, mean kids to… Continue reading Brave

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Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando

by Andrea Wang & Illustrated by Kana Urbanowicz When I was a child, I LOVED it when one of my parents would make ramen. I adored winding the squiggly, wavy noodles around my fork and the salty broth that inevitably splashed on my face. In college, I ate a LOT... I mean A L O… Continue reading Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando

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Malala: My Story of Standing Up for Girls’ Rights by Malala Yousafzai with Patricia McCormick

Malala: My Story of Standing Up for Girls’ Rights happens to share its book birthday with the anniversary of Malala’s life changing event-- October 9th. In fact, Malala immediately hooks her audience by flashing back to that particular day, which haunts her memory.  “When I close my eyes, I can see my bedroom. The bed… Continue reading Malala: My Story of Standing Up for Girls’ Rights by Malala Yousafzai with Patricia McCormick

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The King of Kindergarten

The King of Kindergarten “It’s time to start kindergarten, and you know what, kid? You got this! It’s your time to shine and be the King of Kindergarten!”  The King of Kindergarten joyfully written by Derrick Barnes and artfully illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton should be every kindergarten teacher's read during the sparkling-with-opportunity first few minutes… Continue reading The King of Kindergarten