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Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle

Written by Nina LaCour & Illustrated by Kaylani Juanita "Have you have ever missed someone or something? Have you have ever missed someone or something and it almost felt like a physical ache? Have you have ever missed someone or something so much that when you were reunited the feelings of missing crashed into the… Continue reading Mama and Mommy and Me in the Middle

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Better Readers, Better Humans!

With 18 index cards in hand, I scoured the shelves of the Millis Public Library. I glanced down at the nonfiction topics each reader was interested in and started pulling book after book. The stack continued to grow as I simultaneously began to consider what mentor text I would use. . .time for something new.… Continue reading Better Readers, Better Humans!

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Sparking Teacher Learning through Picture Books, Professional Journals, and Conversation

Cover of the January/February 2022 journal "Social Studies and the Young Learner" published by the NCSS. This week I had the gift of time with K-5 educators across my district participating in the final of four "curriculum council" meetings we've shared this year. Teachers were first provided time to prepare by first reading a January/February… Continue reading Sparking Teacher Learning through Picture Books, Professional Journals, and Conversation

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Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem by Amanda Gorman

The world is changing, and people are growing by learning more and taking action."-- Fourth Grader Imagine my surprise on Inauguration Day when my partner texted me to share that he had gone ahead and preordered Amanda Gorman's children's book for my classroom! He just knew that my students and I needed it in our… Continue reading Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem by Amanda Gorman

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The Cot in the Living Room

I could not love this book more. Absolutely perfect mentor text for character change. As the story begins, our main character is very jealous of the children who get to spend the night on the cot in her living room. The illustrations by Gaby D'Alessandro assist the readers as we imagine what our main character… Continue reading The Cot in the Living Room

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The Alphabet’s Alphabet

Have you ever thought of the alphabet as one big happy family of relatives?  That’s how they are presented in The Alphabet’s Alphabet, written by Chris Harris and illustrated by Dan Santat.  Harris begins by explaining that the alphabet is just like a family and that they are all alike in many ways.  He then… Continue reading The Alphabet’s Alphabet

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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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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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At the Mountain’s Base

For some time now, I have been collecting books written by own voice authors, particularly those books written by Indigenous people.  My collection is growing and these books play a vital role in all aspects of my curriculum and in the classroom community.  The students are beginning to recognize works by specific authors by examining… Continue reading At the Mountain’s Base

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Vote For Our Future

I discovered the book Vote for Our Future by Margaret McNamara and Micah Player a few months ago. I was searching for a children’s book that I could read to my second and fourth-grade students that would be informative, yet steer us away from any contentious conversations. Given the age of my students and the… Continue reading Vote For Our Future

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Going Up by Sherry Lee

Going Up by Sherry Lee reviewed by Susan Kennedy As we are going back to school in whatever form that is taking, hopefully we are returning to writing. I love writing with students and hearing them storytell their narrative plans. Returning to school this fall, I hope we'll start with some narratives: small moments, memoirs,… Continue reading Going Up by Sherry Lee

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Starting Anew

As an educator, I have always felt that August offers the kind of renewal and restart that so many others seek to find in January. This August feels especially ripe with opportunities to tip everything on it’s head and to address what’s broken, to actively change what has been exacerbating inequities in our education system… Continue reading Starting Anew

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The Journey by Francesca Sanna

Francesca Sanna’s The Journey is a beautiful, powerful book that delivers a timely message to readers.  It describes the journey of a brave family who must flee from their home to escape a war.  Francesca Sanna created this picture book after interviewing refugees in Italy. Educators can use this book to teach a variety of… Continue reading The Journey by Francesca Sanna

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The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy is a must read for 2020.  It is a story of friendship, relationships and life lessons for people of all ages.  These unlikely characters discuss life, forgiveness, and the journey we all take on this earth.  The characters have hopes and dreams, fears… Continue reading The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

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You Hold Me Up

At the beginning of the school year, every teacher focuses on establishing a classroom community and developing relationships among the members of the classroom.  Cultivating and maintaining a positive classroom community takes dedication, time and care. You Hold Me Up , by Monique Gray Smith and illustrated by Danielle Daniel is a book that will… Continue reading You Hold Me Up

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Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

Every once in a while a book lands in your hands at the exact right moment and you thank the book universe for its delivery. Other Words for Home, Jasmine Warga's first novel for middle grade readers, does just that. Written in verse, this story is a tale of a young girl, Jude, leaving her… Continue reading Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

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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

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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