tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-70458169567502308002024-03-19T06:25:41.406-04:00hidden in the the most unlikely places"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places.”
― Roald DahlBethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-66381154175550595212020-05-04T17:03:00.000-04:002020-05-04T17:03:14.841-04:00The World of Diane Alber<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I knew the first set of books that I talked about after a 6-year hiatus had to be really good and I am hopeful these will not disappoint!! </span><div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Looking through Amazon Unlimited for books to read to my students since school has shut down has provided to be somewhat problematic. Most of them seem to be for very young readers and/or chapter books. It is important that I preview all of the books before I introduce them to my students, so chapter books weren't really an option right now. However, since scouring the pages of Amazon Unlimited, my eyes have been opened to the world of Diane Alber.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Diane Alber's books are full of everyday objects that have the sweetest, most gentle, and funniest way of teaching everyone (kids and adults alike) that life is tough but we all have room to grow, get better, and overcome! On top of all that, it looks as though all of her books are available on Amazon Unlimited. So if you have a subscription, you can read them for *free*!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This is the first book of hers that I chose and from the moment I read the first page, I was hooked! This is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PMWBTXT/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i6" target="_blank">Sticks</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sticks is about a popsicle that takes a walk in the sun and melts. He immediately regrets his decision and wishes he never stepped foot outside. Stick meets several friends that help him see that even though he may be different than he used to be, he still has a place in this world!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Next, we have <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PN7RP7G/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i4" target="_blank">Scribble Stones</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Our book starts with a large stack of rocks. One special rock could not wait to be chosen from the pile and be put to some grand use. Unfortunately, he was the only rock not chosen and ended up as a paperweight. But wait! There are some nearby friends that give him a new purpose!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This was a highly requested book by my nieces and they loved it! It is called <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NGJ5BNF/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i2" target="_blank">Never Let a Unicorn Scribble</a>!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This book (and the others in the series) show the beauty that comes with creative imagination! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last but not least, I wanted to share this series of books all about a little Spot. This one is a great place to start. The title is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z6Q8QJB/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p3_i8" target="_blank">A Little Scribble Spot</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This book teaches kids about emotions and the colors that can often be associated with each one. It is a great introduction to feelings and could lead to some amazing art and craft projects! In this series, there is a book for just about every emotion - A Little Spot of Anxiety, A little Spot of Love, A Little Spot of Anger, etc. They are wonderful and perfect for counselors and to have on hand to help younger kids understand emotions and how they work!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">That's it for my first official book post since 2014! What sort of books would you like to know more about?!? Let me know!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>*All book images from amazon.com</i></span></div>
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Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-71598859127254216182020-04-28T15:55:00.003-04:002020-05-06T14:09:02.836-04:00All It Took Was A PandemicGuess who's back....back again...<br />
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I would like to say that it's been a *hot second* since I've added to this blog but that would be a gross understatement. Where have I been? Why haven't I written anything in such a long time? Let me take a second and fill you in on the last 6 years!!<br />
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In the fall of 2013, I started working on my master's degree in Children's Literature. That same year I left the classroom and worked as the intervention teacher on my campus. Leaving the classroom was extremely difficult but I am so glad that I took the position. The workload of my master's classes was unbelievably heavy and there was no way I could have juggled both the classroom responsibilities and the assignments at the same time. As the intervention teacher, I had ZERO time to read to my students. I saw small groups of students for 30 minutes at a time and was told to do a very strict scripted phonics program. I read very few picture books for my master's classes. It was the perfect storm. I had no reason to add to my classroom library when there wasn't a need or even time to use it. So, I fell off the children's book wagon. I quit looking for books every time I would walk through Walmart or Target. I stopped going to Barnes and Noble just to browse through the children's section.<br />
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In the fall of 2018, I went back into the classroom and taught 3rd grade. I could not wait to pull out all of my old favorite read aloud books and spend the last 20 minutes of every day reading to my students JUST FOR FUN. Not for a grade. Not for an assignment. Not for any other reason than just for the love of the story. But, much like my time as the intervention teacher, I was given a scripted reading and writing program and we had to read the books listed in the lessons or connected to the topic. Because we were departmentalized (I only taught ELA and Social Studies), there was virtually no time to read the books I wanted to read. It was heartbreaking and I absolutely hated having no room for "just for fun" books.<br />
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This year I started my 19th year in education in a new state. Being with my family has been amazing and I am so thankful the door was opened for me to be here. However, learning a completely new way of teaching (aka Common Core) has absolutely rocked my world. I had no clue what a steep learning curve would come with this move or just how much time it would take for me to feel barely adequate enough to teach it. The time that I would have loved to really pour into my students through stories and books just wasn't an option for me this year. I did the best I could with holiday books but it was nothing compared to what I had hoped this year would bring. To be honest, I did the best I could just to stay afloat!<br />
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Enter Covid-19. First, let me say that this online teaching thing is for the birds. Bravo to all of the teachers that do it on a regular basis. It is not how I feel my students learn best and it is definitely not how I teach best. We make do with what we have and what we have is online virtual learning. What is has done, however, is give me a chance and the time to explore books once again. I decided that even though I didn't have time during the school year to read many books to my students that I would make it a priority during this pandemic. Since all of my books are locked in my classroom away from the world, I joined Amazon Unlimited. I find the best books available, record myself reading them, and then share the video with my students. Reading these books to my students is like coming home again. The excitement of finding a new book or a new author stirs so much joy in me that just cannot wait to be shared!!<br />
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So here I am in the middle of a pandemic reading and sharing books with my students and with you! I hope you enjoy what I have and please let me know what you would like to see!</div>
Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-17860708466635435602014-05-28T21:32:00.000-04:002017-01-18T16:40:37.929-05:00Art of the Picturebook<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My favorite class so far since starting my children's literature master's degree is the Art of the Picturebook (and yes, it is "picturebook" - all one word!). I learned so much and was exposed to many fabulous authors and books I'd never heard of before. My only regret is that I don't have my own classroom where I can immediately take these books and share them with my kids. I am hoping to take more time next year with my small groups of students and expose them to quality literature (the way the position I am currently in is structured leaves very little time for anything other than what we are required to use). </div>
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During the course of this class, we spent most of our time talking about the art of "close looking" (from the book <u>Looking at Pictures in Picture Books</u> by Jane Doonan) when reading picturebooks. "Close looking" always begins with reading the book twice - the first time because everything about it is new to you and then a second time to really study the pictures and what they are saying/implying/enhancing/contradicting/etc. about the written text. Again, this is one of those times that I wish I had my own classroom to use this amazing strategy. Even as an adult, taking a second read of the book and making a conscious effort when looking at the pictures changed how will from this point on read picturebooks. I bring all of this up now because I will reference "close looking" in some of the summaries I give for the books. </div>
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Here you go...a few of my "new to me" favorite picturebooks!!</div>
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<img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5GFQYozVFLOTuqF78ZXcu5TvvxvrSQIhHdrayDy_y7uscIhvf_5_J0WyJVwFMfnkVThyJy2nY6DuzZ3qiRcXyGYMFPJ05bpf9ZbLM1Lp0a_Pc4I-2VY00ivBIfh75AgXyAHni_d0c_mo/s1600/dance.PNG" width="214" /></div>
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<b>To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel</b></div>
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<b>Author: Siena Cherson Siegel</b><br />
<b>Illustrator: Mark Siegel </b></div>
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One lesson we had during the semester was on the graphic novel genre (to see my previous post on graphic novels, <a href="http://www.hiddeninthemostunlikelyplaces.blogspot.com/2012_04_01_archive.html">click here</a>). This autobiography is just one of the graphic novels we read during the week and I'm not sure I can convey how much I absolutely loved and adored this book. In the teaching world, we try to get students to make "text-to-self" connections and this one connected with me in ways I didn't realize it would. Growing up, I checked out the same nonfiction book on ballerinas each and every week. I looked at the pictures so long I could probably still draw them from memory, even now. As you can imagine, I wanted to be a ballerina - floating across the stage in flowy, gausy, pink material. This book made me feel like I was that little girl, sitting on her bed looking at all of those photographs in that one book. If you have a girl (or boy!) who likes to dance, there couldn't be a more perfect book in the world than this one.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47Pnk6PO5xWo7IlbRw1NHVYpTvpJ9V1zWPl_5HTFmmhzyv045cVL51lgSjy-xNvMGzWJe4KIsyAbMYrRqQ18uC-xB3KvvrofHSxm316Q5EcZt02FReS3oZKH9zOXA97jeucwBbPL-9Dk/s1600/pete.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj47Pnk6PO5xWo7IlbRw1NHVYpTvpJ9V1zWPl_5HTFmmhzyv045cVL51lgSjy-xNvMGzWJe4KIsyAbMYrRqQ18uC-xB3KvvrofHSxm316Q5EcZt02FReS3oZKH9zOXA97jeucwBbPL-9Dk/s1600/pete.PNG" /></a></div>
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<b>What Pete Ate From A-Z</b></div>
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<b>Author and Illustrator: Maira Kalman</b></div>
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If I was wandering down the aisles of Half Price Books or Barnes and Nobel, this is not a book I would have normally picked up without having read it first and that based on the cover and the fact that it's an alphabet book. Talk about not judging a book by it's cover!! If you are looking for a different slant on your typical alphabet book, I highly suggest picking up a copy in your public library. It is so creative and you will find that there is much, much more going on between the covers of this book than first meets the eye - SO MANY reasons to use "close looking" when reading this book!!</div>
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<b>When Sheep Can Not Sleep: The Counting Book </b></div>
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<b>Author and Illustrator: Satoshi Kitamura</b></div>
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Unfortunately, this is another one of those books, like I mentioned above, that I probably wouldn't have chosen if it were up to me. Out of all of the books that we were exposed to during this class, this one has to be my favorite. (A close second would be the <u>To Dance</u> book!) This is a completely unique counting book and, in fact, if it didn't say "The Counting Book" right there on the cover you wouldn't even know that's what it was until the very last page. This is fantastic book and the perfect book for "close looking". </div>
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<b>Come Away From the Water, Shirley</b></div>
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<b>Author and Illustrator: John Burningham</b></div>
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This very simple and easy read picturebook has so much to offer. You will find that the pictures tell the exact opposite story than the words say on the page. It is an excellent contrast to just a "regular" picturebook where the pictures support the text and would be an fantastic book to use when thinking of creative writing/thinking outside the box. I also secretly love that the author made the girl a pirate and not a princess!!</div>
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<b>Now One Foot, Now the Other</b></div>
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<b>Author and Illustrator: Tomie dePaola</b></div>
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We had one large end of the semester project that was 35% of our overall grade. Each student had to choose an illustrator and create a Wiki page on him/her for all of our classmates to see and read. I chose Tomie dePaola. I had read many of his books prior to taking the class, but never realized just how many books he has written/illustrated (over 250 total - written and/or illustrated). The thing I love most about his books is that ALL of the books he writes revolve around people and events that actually happened in his life. This book is written from the perspective of Bobby (Tomie's younger brother) and his relationship with his grandfather, Grandpa Bob (Tomie's grandfather). It is the most touching, heart wrenching, and sweetest book you will ever read.</div>
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<b><span id="goog_1170682934">1, 2, 3 to the Zoo: A Counting Book</span></b></div>
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<b><span id="goog_1170682934">Author and Illustrator: Eric Carle</span></b></div>
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<span id="goog_1170682934">It is very likely that parents and teachers who read with very young children already know about this book but it was completely new to me. This is Eric Carles first children's book and is a wonderfully illustrated and perfectly simple counting book. There is an element of "close looking" in that would be perfect for smaller eyes!</span></div>
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<b><span id="goog_1170682934">Gorilla</span></b></div>
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<b><span id="goog_1170682934">Author and Illustrator: Anthony Browne</span></b></div>
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<span id="goog_1170682934">This is a sweet story about a little girl who's father is too busy to spend time with her, so she imagines her stuffed gorilla comes alive and takes her on adventures. This book is packed full of "close looking" opportunities - so look closely!</span></div>
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<b>The Day the Crayons Quit</b></div>
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<b>Author: Drew Daywalt</b></div>
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<b>Illustrator: Oliver Jeffers</b></div>
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In reading through the Wiki pages of my classmates, I was introduced to this tremendous talented and creatively unique illustrator, Oliver Jeffers. Jeffers has written and illustrated several books. This book is so cute and would be perfect for teaching perspective or persuasive writing. There are many laugh-out-loud moments and times you feel empathy for the crayon. I highly suggest checking it out from the library.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-460930357144189712014-03-11T18:33:00.002-04:002017-01-18T16:40:28.376-05:00Young Adult - Fiction and FantasyIt's been almost a year since my last post and that year has flown by! Last fall, I started at Penn State to get my master's degree in curriculum and instruction in children's literature. In about a month, I will finish my second semester and fourth class. Choosing this degree has been one of the best choices I've made. I am loving these classes and what I am learning along the way! <br />
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My first two courses were Fantasy in Children's Literature and Studies of Children's Literature. Both of these classes were based on Young Adult novels. I thought I would share my favorites from both classes!<br />
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**Note: These books are all Young Adult and I've looked up the recommended age/grade level for each book and listed it below the covers. The subject matter and maturity level may not be appropriate for younger children.<br />
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<i>Bread and Roses, Too</i> by Katherine Paterson</div>
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Suggested Grades: 4-7</div>
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This is an excellent book based on actual events from a historic 1912 labor strike in the Lawrence, Massachusetts, textile mills. The story follows two very different children, Rosa and Jake, and how they overcome the obstacles of the time.</div>
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<i> The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time</i> by Mark Haddon</div>
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Suggested Grades: 9-12</div>
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This book follows the (fictional) story of a 15 year old boy with autism. You will notice in the first few pages that the story feels broken, chapter numbers skip, and the emotions felt are raw. As you read, you will fall in love and feel empathy for this unique little boy.</div>
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<i>Zel</i> by Donna Jo Napoli</div>
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Suggested Grades: 7-10</div>
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One of the sections in my Studies of Children's Literature class was on Feminist authors. Donna Jo Napoli is a Feminist author who has rewritten several classics. This book is really well written, however VERY dark. <i>Zel</i> is Napoli's version of the Brother's Grimm story <i>Rapunzel</i>. </div>
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<i>The Amazing Maurice and His Educated Rodents</i> by Terry Pratchett</div>
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Suggested Grades: 7 and up</div>
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Typically, I steer away from talking animal books (and movies, for that matter!) and I only read this one because I had to for my class! However, this book completely took me by surprise. It is funny and heartwarming. Maurice is a cat who has a crew of educated rodents who help a little boy and girl save a small town. It is also part of a series of books written by Terry Pratchett called Discworld. </div>
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<i> The Graveyard Book</i> by Neil Gaiman</div>
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Suggested Grades: 5-9</div>
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Don't let the cover and title fool you!! This is a very involved book with amazingly complex characters that isn't nearly as dark as the cover may lead you to believe. Bod is a normal boy who lives in a graveyard and is raised by loving and kind ghosts. He meets many characters and, of course, learns that not everyone in the graveyard is friendly! </div>
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<i>The House of the Scorpion</i> by Nancy Farmer</div>
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Suggested Grades: 7 and up</div>
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An outstandingly written tale that revolves around cloning. It follows Matt from birth to age 14 where he realizes long the way that he is actually a clone of a very powerful, and evil, man. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-90353268873252676702013-04-21T13:01:00.006-04:002017-01-18T16:40:14.561-05:00What About My Older Children??<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Most of my posts have been geared towards the younger reader. I decided this post should be for those of you who have older children and are looking for something more mature to read! Many of these books would be great as at-home read-a-loud for younger kids. I have read all (except for one) of these books. However, as always, regardless of your child's age or maturity level, you MUST be a active participant in what your children reads...especially as their book interests grow into more mature subject areas. These books are no different. I remember my mom being actively involved in the books wanted to read as I got older. When I was a young teenager, there was a very popular series of books that I felt like all of my friends were reading and my mom was NOT going to let me read them. The subject matter and maturity level of the book was something my mom believed was not appropriate and it didn't follow what we as a family believed to be the best moral example. There was no getting around it. If I was going to continue to read, I had to choose other books/series. I lived through it and I thank my mom even more so now that she was so involved!! </div>
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This is the one book in this list that I haven't read. I have SEVERAL of my higher reading boys who LOVE these books. There are tons of books in this one series. This author has written several book series (including the Lightning Thief and several others). They all have a Greek mythology theme to them. He has also written a few adult novels, which my mom really likes!</div>
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Of all of the series of books that Rick Riordan has written, I like this one the best. This is his first children's novel series and (in my opinion) the most well written. I hadn't ever read a children's book that was written around Greek mythology. It is very well written and engaging!! This would be a GREAT read-a-loud for younger kids!</div>
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I LOVE, LOVE this series of books. I hadn't read anything by this author until I found this book. The main character goes to live with his cousins and finds a room full of cupboards. Each door leads to a different world that are just begging to be explored! Also a great read-a-loud for younger kids.</div>
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Kate DiCamillo is a FABULOUS author. Her books tug at your heart strings and literally pull you in and make you believe you are the character (she also wrote Because of Winn Dixie). If you have seen the Tale of Desperaux movie, please don't let that stop you from reading this book. The movie was a horrible interpretation of the book. This is one of the books that I read to my students every year. They LOVE it!! </div>
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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane is my other favorite by Kate DiCamillo. This book is so well written and I cry at the end EVERY TIME I read it. The illustrations are amazing. If you buy it or check it out from the library, I STRONGLY suggest getting the hardback color copy. The black and white pictures are great, but it just so stunning in color. This book has a LOT of "higher level" words that would need to be clarified when reading it to younger children. Depending on the make-up of my students, I may or may not read this to my class.</div>
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This is the only book that I have ready by this author. I love fantasy/science fiction/magic books and this is all of those things combined. It is so different than anything else I have ever read and I think that's why I like it so much. The wording is too higher level to read to younger children.</div>
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These next three books are all by Cornelia Funke. She is a WONDERFUL children's author. Her stories usually combine magic with a fantasy land. The Inkheart series is one of my all time favorites. I wouldn't read these books to my students because they are very long and some of the higher level wording would be very confusing.</div>
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Igraine the Brave is one of Cornelia Funke's book that I have read to my students. They loved it! </div>
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Bud, Not Buddy is a wonderful, touching, and honest book. Christopher Paul Curtis does an amazing job of creating this character that you can't help but fall in love and connect with right away. Because of the subject matter, I would not read this to young children.</div>
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The Mighty Miss Malone is so written by Christopher Paul Curtis. As much as I loved Bud, Not Buddy, this book is hands down one of the best books I have EVER read. You will instantly feel like you are walking in Miss Malone's shoes. I promise, you will not be able to put this book down. This book would be a good read-a-loud for fourth grade and older because of the subject matter.</div>
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If you have a gifted child, this is a PERFECT book for him/her. Mr. Benedict forms a society of gifted students (each child is gifted in different ways). They work together to "fight the bad guy" and learn to become a family. It's a GREAT book!!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZpkAXh1wl2LbZRHhIO7h4gDx0adGwfu0jr2rLy6Mms6yYCUKgGHRBwC81dUfNB9WbmZNd0OGh4uvV4fBgCuoEetSb0_EcwZmFWMOA5f4J7T8XTZf34-z0fUa88aQFCG3VtdBGtS3ppY/s1600/theif+lord.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvZpkAXh1wl2LbZRHhIO7h4gDx0adGwfu0jr2rLy6Mms6yYCUKgGHRBwC81dUfNB9WbmZNd0OGh4uvV4fBgCuoEetSb0_EcwZmFWMOA5f4J7T8XTZf34-z0fUa88aQFCG3VtdBGtS3ppY/s1600/theif+lord.jpg" /></a></div>
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Last but not least, The Thief Lord. Really good, yet dark, book. I would not read this to younger kids.</div>
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Happy Reading!!!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-19908107373369572752013-02-04T20:45:00.001-05:002017-01-18T16:40:02.890-05:00New Books...At Least New to Me!Last week was like Christmas in January...for me. The Scholastic Book Fair was at my school. I'm not sure if I will be able to put into words how much I love the book fair. The colors, the smell of the new books, the shiny covers just teasing me to open them...it's intoxicating!! Over the last few years, I've had to set a budget for myself whenever it's book fair week. I've been known to spend WAY more than I should on books for my classroom. It has a power over me that I can't resist!! <br />
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Each year, the parents of my students spoil me with books from my "wish list" at the book fair. This year was no different. Here are the new books for my classroom. They may not be new to you, but they are new to me!<br />
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Bad Kitty is such a bad kitty!! This series of books started out as a hilarious ABC picture book. It has morphed into a graphic novel series that older kids/higher readers will love. This is the newest of the graphic novels. Bad Kitty is sent to "kitty school" because she is such a Bad Kitty at home! </div>
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This is an amazing book. The illustrations are unique and really make the story of Booker T. Washington come to life. This book taught me and the kids something new!!</div>
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There's always room for Dr. Seuss! Did you know that Dr. Seuss company writes nonfiction books?? They do! This is the third or fourth nonfiction book that I have. The other topics I have book for are the moon and maps. These books are fantastic for getting kids engaged in nonfiction text!</div>
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There are a few books that I SEARCH high and low in each and ever book fair to see if there is a new one in the series. SCORE!! I've mentioned Splat the Cat books in previous posts. In this book, Splat and Seymour try to find Mr. Nobody...a beak stealing thief!</div>
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It wouldn't be a book fair without a purchase from my favorite illustrator, Mr. Catrow. Once again, the duo of Karen Beaumont and David Catrow hit a home run with their book "Where's My Truck." The kids always love seeing what silly characters David Catrow has come up with!</div>
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Like several books I've found over the years, the cover of this book jumped out and grabbed me. I love the muted colors and hilarious expressions on the animals. This sweet bear, Lucy, wakes up one day and tells her mom that she is going to make new friend. Little did Lucy know how hard that would be!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAI2cb3gjzB2mZpx3aqaH_9r9K5fjpR481QZE0gb2aqHfSyh4E0fOG9w9P6zN-nfrC3bNRXIgYOfyhNVrRrBEMnqpYv_mORf_1qpRvDogXaUxh-hdExbIeO3CcwPJbsK3dGva6n2jJm8/s1600/%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAI2cb3gjzB2mZpx3aqaH_9r9K5fjpR481QZE0gb2aqHfSyh4E0fOG9w9P6zN-nfrC3bNRXIgYOfyhNVrRrBEMnqpYv_mORf_1qpRvDogXaUxh-hdExbIeO3CcwPJbsK3dGva6n2jJm8/s320/%2521.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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One of the most creatively written books I've ever read. Amy Krouse Rosenthal has given the little exclamation mark a heart...and your heart will be pulled in with it!! </div>
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Happy reading!!!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span></div>
Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-2254943093457832432012-12-05T22:38:00.003-05:002017-01-18T16:39:42.144-05:00Merry Christmas To All!The Christmas season is in full swing!! The decorations are hung in my classroom with care and the Christmas/Holiday books line the dry erase boards and FILL my "All-Star Books" crate. Because there are SO MANY Christmas books to choose from (and more and more come out each year), there are certain standards I set for the Christmas books that I select for my classroom. First and most importantly, the book MUST stir some sort of emotion from within me (other than boredom). If I laugh out loud, have a connection to the character and WANT to keep reading, then I know that is a book I need to own. The second...the illustrations. If you've ready any of my previous posts, you know how important I believe the illustrations are to a book...maybe even more so are the illustrations in a Christmas book. Kids have a mental image of Santa, the reindeer, his workshop and the elves...the illustrations are so very important in helping to continue to foster those thoughts and images! <br />
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Here are a few of my favorite Christmas/Holiday books that I have in my classroom: </div>
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This is an author/illustrator that I have written about in earlier posts. This is one of my favorite Christmas book and it is written and illustrated by David Shannon. Each page of illustrations tell more and more about the story than just what is written in the words. Great pictures. Great story. Great moral. </div>
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LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this book. A student gave this book to me several years ago and it has turned out to be one of my favorites. This story features letters written back and forth between Santa and a little girl named Holly. On the pages where Santa has written Holly a letter, you will find a small envelope with letters that you can take out and read. Kids LOVE it!!! One of my favorite things about this book is that the letters NEVER talk about what the little girl wants for Christmas. She asks Santa about his reindeer, elves and talks about her brother. Santa responds with letters, reindeer jokes and an ornament (all tucked inside tiny little envelopes). I love reading this book as much as the kids do. </div>
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For my younger or struggling readers...Froggy's Best Christmas!! You can never go wrong with a Froggy book!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8WE4e5tGZU_w4TaQigetLIeM7VVYl90ilhViqSHVNdnJEcYMkezg5Xffxd5r44RDXOVVV6cWfuvYw6zvJFStg-1PwVFZSh6lFcXxrONOlYJTNhyphenhyphenvIWsGSf4ny7kumtJedTQsg7DyrQI/s1600/how+murry+saved.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8WE4e5tGZU_w4TaQigetLIeM7VVYl90ilhViqSHVNdnJEcYMkezg5Xffxd5r44RDXOVVV6cWfuvYw6zvJFStg-1PwVFZSh6lFcXxrONOlYJTNhyphenhyphenvIWsGSf4ny7kumtJedTQsg7DyrQI/s1600/how+murry+saved.jpg" /></a></div>
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He's back!! My favorite illustrator...David Catrow! One of Santa's elves knocks Santa out cold (with a toy he invented) on Christmas eve. Now the elf has to find someone to take Santa's place and deliver the presents! Enter Murry...owner of Murry K. Diner. This book is written in rhyme and it makes me laugh right along with the kids.</div>
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This book is written by the same author (Mike Reiss) and illustrator (David Catrow). Cute book about a make-believe place where it is Christmas every day, kids never go to school, the mail never gets delivered...except on the one day of the year - "Un-Christmas!"</div>
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Junie B. Jones is is as funny and sassy as ever in her Christmas book. It is laugh-out-loud funny!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZndXU_gFpPlNQwJ9PxuqycWcAlCY-UJGFLpkizx9DhhADVFm2RLeP4ROucXNY8u1oHEIpJ_WnjCmSkSxO6cosoSui6rp-RQoCgZ17RDYWSHRDohn59NTk3848XLD4PD09x5oqibItbiY/s1600/My+penguin+osbert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZndXU_gFpPlNQwJ9PxuqycWcAlCY-UJGFLpkizx9DhhADVFm2RLeP4ROucXNY8u1oHEIpJ_WnjCmSkSxO6cosoSui6rp-RQoCgZ17RDYWSHRDohn59NTk3848XLD4PD09x5oqibItbiY/s1600/My+penguin+osbert.jpg" /></a></div>
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I found this book while wandering through Barnes and Noble one day...and I immediately fell in love with it. The first thing that caught my attention was the cover. (This is one of those times when judging a book by it's cover paid off!!) I loved everything about it...just from the cover. The story, if it's possible, is even better than the pictures. A little boy writes a letter to Santa and tells him that he wants a penguin for Christmas. Santa gives the boy what he wants...but it turns out to be a lot more than he bargained for. It is a sweet, sweet book that is beautifully written and equally beautiful illustrations. </div>
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglgCCldF3yIwIOZlUKTnhw6c0ppZ14XURbYnwNR2QeZ01_Ag6uel9MOvbNpkxPJ0vsRvi6rNzlmR_SPCs-wsfS7cUrVo-u701K3PGn1HHzuedjoLgufTx9DE0cSWkRAdM_zRAV8jPYvpY/s1600/Olive.jpg" /></div>
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This book has been around a while (written in 1997), but I only recently bought it for my classroom. Don't ask me what took so long to buy it...because I couldn't tell you. Recently, this book was made into a make-for-TV movie. It's not nearly good as the book. Little Olive is a puppy who hears a song about her on the radio..."Olive the other reindeer..." She makes her way to the North Pole where she knows Santa is waiting for her to help lead the way on Christmas Eve to deliver gifts!</div>
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Splat is one of my favorite Children's book series. This book is no exception. Splat and his pet mouse, Seymour, are funnier than ever in Merry Christmas, Splat!</div>
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Here he is again...my favorite illustrator, David Catrow. (Is this the part where I confess that I have a small "illustrator" crush on him?!?!) This author/illustrator duo are back with HILARIOUS poetry written to the melodies of favorite Christmas songs. It is just as fun trying to sing the words to the melody as it is to read the poems!!</div>
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A really cute book about the eight nights of Hanukkah.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYk5h-mYsn23rc2QZeDoOrMKDH4eKIu6c5o8DN636V14PYBHFAjRmHX5O4z8ZzK5Rzt0EHyx2K2QyZtuxVLk6WHSRx3aitf6B9K0O2Px0SIhytXL3ExqL6UADqrcbW5hoepGU3oDi_eA/s1600/ha.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmYk5h-mYsn23rc2QZeDoOrMKDH4eKIu6c5o8DN636V14PYBHFAjRmHX5O4z8ZzK5Rzt0EHyx2K2QyZtuxVLk6WHSRx3aitf6B9K0O2Px0SIhytXL3ExqL6UADqrcbW5hoepGU3oDi_eA/s1600/ha.jpg" /></a></div>
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For younger kids, but still a great book to introduce Hanukkah.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4_RNVVoPprZC1jDIq2XiwfyMFMre6JIZxTkTjYgN5vPEVFQWJZWQbuOB2azRfkvkXq0Xbsu4YBfyAW8_ONPPPuy5Qyw3j4CRh-TogQgevZcSaCpxvYTlJsye7jOlmYg0aojp8WKNrPs/s1600/k+is+for.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO4_RNVVoPprZC1jDIq2XiwfyMFMre6JIZxTkTjYgN5vPEVFQWJZWQbuOB2azRfkvkXq0Xbsu4YBfyAW8_ONPPPuy5Qyw3j4CRh-TogQgevZcSaCpxvYTlJsye7jOlmYg0aojp8WKNrPs/s1600/k+is+for.jpg" /></a></div>
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These two books are great for introducing and teaching kids about the meaning of Kwanzaa!</div>
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Merry Christmas and HAPPY READING!!!!</div>
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Beth</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span></div>
Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-7045887251526414842012-10-06T12:45:00.002-04:002017-01-18T16:39:21.188-05:00Spooky Fun Halloween Books!<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Halloween is my favorite time of year for Children's books. (Yes, even more than Christmas!) There are so many wonderful, funny, creepy, and beautifully illustrated books that are Halloween themed. Here are some of the books I have in my own classroom!</div>
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This one of my newer books Halloween books. It's a spin on the "12 Days of Christmas". It can been kind of creepy...so I wouldn't recommend it for little kids!</div>
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Cinderella Skeleton is a version of (obviously) Cinderella. The illustrator is David Catrow...my favorite. It's written in poem form and some of the words are REALLY big. It would be perfect for upper elementary and higher.</div>
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These "Black Lagoon" books started as a picture book series (Class From the Black Lagoon, Gym Teacher From the Black Lagoon, etc...). A few years ago, they came out with short chapter books. The kids love them!! </div>
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This book, by Jerry Seinfield, is HILARIOUS. I read it to my kids, but it really is geared more to adults. We've all been there...the costume mask with the wimpy piece of elastic that breaks 10 minutes into trick-or-treating, or having to wear our coats over our costumes which defeats the whole purpose. It's truly a great book for kids and adults alike!!</div>
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Poor Wiener dog...his owner puts him in a hot dog costume. But he ends up saving the night!</div>
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Cute, cute, cute book. Great for those kids who are scared of a monster under their bed!!</div>
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Junie B. Jones...a quick-read chapter book and so funny!</div>
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This is my newest Halloween book. Again, my favorite illustrator. He takes the classic song and puts it in a book with fantastic pictures!!</div>
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This is a remake of the classic story. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the illustrations in this book.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-1b8oDjYOwlS89xRFVaObOjB_zjsyU5Vw2kpSDoVPa4vQd6VN28IZY3JEp0T4AEtE8ygzBkTZNNoMoxE5FVnaCeTiAbmgQpBMdo3nDOhvAxg2lstd3X70yWo3VMfsp-4y9AnLnl0gSI/s1600/Trixie+halloween.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA-1b8oDjYOwlS89xRFVaObOjB_zjsyU5Vw2kpSDoVPa4vQd6VN28IZY3JEp0T4AEtE8ygzBkTZNNoMoxE5FVnaCeTiAbmgQpBMdo3nDOhvAxg2lstd3X70yWo3VMfsp-4y9AnLnl0gSI/s1600/Trixie+halloween.jpg" /></a></div>
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Rainbow Magic series: Trixie the Halloween Fairy. Girls LOVE these books!!</div>
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Last but not least, my favorite fuzzy, funny, and spooky cat Splat!! <br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span></div>
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Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-69256105862010507372012-09-01T17:02:00.001-04:002017-01-18T16:39:07.857-05:00It's Back To School We Go!School has been back in full swing for a week (although, if you are a teacher, it's been in full swing for several weeks!). This is one of my favorite times of year because it is my chance to introduce my love of books to my students. I have a little speech that goes something like this..."This year, you will hear me say 'This is my favorite book!' several different times. I just can't help it. I have SO MANY favorite books!" When I say, "This is my favorite book," they just roll their eyes and say, "You say that about ALL of the books you read!" I love it!!<br />
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Here are a few of the books that I read to my class every year when school starts. (Some of these books I've already blogged about...but then again, I love books!!).<br />
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First Day Jitters is A MUST for ALL teachers to read on the first day of school. There is a twist ending that leave the kids speechless!! (There is a follow up book to this one called "First Year Letters".)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7G369JcCiuvvWx_u_w7OJOho0pbbTsHCLwFf7vPxBGhZ5a00HgLEB8rxikpTwYVgGhZQlbhMMfyH2q98tFO7wxRjoAfOJxg5FJLmmzTSTvOtmkwwjwi92Zf1K-SqEbPvQO6J5QVUaNM/s1600/George's+Marvelous+Medicine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO7G369JcCiuvvWx_u_w7OJOho0pbbTsHCLwFf7vPxBGhZ5a00HgLEB8rxikpTwYVgGhZQlbhMMfyH2q98tFO7wxRjoAfOJxg5FJLmmzTSTvOtmkwwjwi92Zf1K-SqEbPvQO6J5QVUaNM/s1600/George's+Marvelous+Medicine.jpg" /></a></div>
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I read several of Roald Dahl's books to my kids each year. This is always a favorite. George mixes up a new medicine for his horrible grandma and gets marvelous results!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qzkjimSg9cA3W7taYqYc0MoJWOddrfbA8nebiux3z3Tm_5XwA7CIB8C7zkpUTKgC1HzlbnhwHQfKxhsfG_1HJRk4tftYrArI-u4pgMx5tADsNDMR7z885Vs_gKk61zQftASyBv0AZW0/s1600/I+like+Myself.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_qzkjimSg9cA3W7taYqYc0MoJWOddrfbA8nebiux3z3Tm_5XwA7CIB8C7zkpUTKgC1HzlbnhwHQfKxhsfG_1HJRk4tftYrArI-u4pgMx5tADsNDMR7z885Vs_gKk61zQftASyBv0AZW0/s1600/I+like+Myself.jpg" /></a></div>
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This book is wonderful for a first of the year writing activity. After I read it, I have the kids write about what they like about themselves. Pictures by my favorite illustrator, David Catrow.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRPWRLQ0ZTUv5dXCDSL2IjciFMFMz-6xa-D-4OkL9hAw8RQ6YWNighErgmsAhdWHg-vZwG2dR-yrS4j_rrtDiqBHncYGP3PIsUv7QiI-HZsPkZO4z-uVhsS0MAqjAHMmUdEbtfuQjGIk/s1600/Let's+Go+Home.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsRPWRLQ0ZTUv5dXCDSL2IjciFMFMz-6xa-D-4OkL9hAw8RQ6YWNighErgmsAhdWHg-vZwG2dR-yrS4j_rrtDiqBHncYGP3PIsUv7QiI-HZsPkZO4z-uVhsS0MAqjAHMmUdEbtfuQjGIk/s1600/Let's+Go+Home.jpg" /></a></div>
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Let's Go Home is another good book for a writing activity. Each page of this book is dedicated to a different room in a house/home and why the character likes that room the best. I have the kids write about their favorite room in their house and draw a picture of the room to go with it. It's a great way to get to know the kids.</div>
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I found this book a year or two ago. Max's brothers collect stamps and coins. Max wants to start a collection so he begins collecting words. From those words he starts to make stories and those stories come to life. I read it on the first day of school and give the kids a "homework" assignment. They find 10-15 words that describe them and cut them out of magazines, print them from the computer, or write them on paper. Then we use those words to come up with fun, silly, and creative sentences that are turned into stories!</div>
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Me First is FANTASTIC for talking about citizenship...and it's just plain funny!!</div>
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Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful book. Great book for self-esteem and how to deal with bullies. The kids LOVE it (and I do too!!)</div>
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This is another good book for citizenship. Princess Penelope gets a little taste of her own medicine!!</div>
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Splat is seriously one of my favorite characters in children's books. In this book, it's the first day of cat school for Splat and he doesn't want to go! </div>
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A teacher friend introduced The Treasure Tree to me several years ago and it became a book that I ALWAYS read the first week of school. This book shows how different personalities (Lance the Lion is a leader, Giggles the Otter loves to make people laugh, Honey the Golden Retriever makes people feel warm and fuzzy, and Chew the Beaver like to make plans and is always prepared) work together even though they are very different. Then I have the kids decide who they are most like and talk about why and how we can all work together this year in the class.</div>
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Have a wonderful school year!!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span></div>
Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-19993734189890968512012-07-15T21:56:00.002-04:002017-01-18T16:38:58.915-05:00What Teachers Love to ReadI asked the teachers I work with if they would tell me books that they liked to read. Some of them gave me the titles of books that they read with their students. Others gave me book titles that they liked to read as children or with their own kids. <br />
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Because the list is fairly long, I will only add the covers of a few books. <br />
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<b><u>Books that teachers read to their students</u></b>:<br />
The Million Dollar Strike by Dan Gutman<br />
Halloween by Jerry Seinfeld <i>(**One of my personal favorites: I read this every year around Halloween to my students)</i><br />
Earthquake Terror by Peg Kehert<br />
Airmail to The Moon by Tom Birdseye<br />
Pirates Don't Change Diapers by Melinda Long <i>(**The sequal to When I Became A Pirate - GREAT book)</i><br />
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Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls <i>(**This book was listed as a favorite by MANY teachers!)</i><br />
A Time for Andrew by Mary Downing Hahn <i>(**Another one listed several times by teachers!)</i><br />
Small Steps by Louis Sachar (**GREAT chapter book author!)<br />
Ghost of Fossil Glen by Cynthia C. DeFelice<br />
Old Yeller by Fred Gipson<br />
Flying Solo by Ralph Fletcher<br />
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<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="color: black;">The World According to Humphrey by Betty G. Birney</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="color: black;">Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown; series</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #1f497d;"><span style="color: black;">Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks</span><br />
<span style="color: black;">My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett; series</span><br />
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Pig Kahuna by Jennifer Gordon Sattler</div>
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Mrs. McBloom Clean Up Your Classroom by Kelly S. Dipucchio <i>(**This is one of my picks. I LOVE the voice that comes through in the teacher, Mrs. McBloom.)</i></div>
My Little Sister Hugged An Ape by Bill Grossman</span><br />
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<b><u>Books teachers read as children or to their own kids</u></b>:<br />
Little House on The Prarie by Laura Ingalls Wilder<br />
Poems by Shel Silverstein<br />
The Family Minus by Fernando Krahn<br />
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I'll Love You Forever by Rober Munsch<br />
Chica Chica Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. <br />
You Read to Me, I Read to You by Mary Ann Hoberman; series <i>(**I hadn't ever heard of these. But they sound WONDERFUL for kids who are learning to read!)</i><br />
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The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein<br />
The Baby-Sitters Club by Ann M. Martin <i>(**I also read ALL of these books. I just looked up the cover on Amazon...the covers are completely different than 25 years ago when I read them!)</i><br />
Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell<br />
I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont<br />
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Say Boo! By Lynda Graham-Barber</div>
What in the World? By Eve Merriam<br />
The World God Made by Donna D. Cooner, Ed.D <i>(**Sweet, sweet book)</i><br />
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HAPPY READING!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-86708783126387257782012-04-24T21:18:00.003-04:002017-01-18T16:38:49.044-05:00Graphic Novels - A Whole New WorldA teacher friend came up to me and asked if I had any book suggestions for her son. She told me that her son can read (and reads well) but he just hates it. It sounded like she had exhausted everything that she knew to try and peak his interest. A few days later, our school librarian does a lesson on the genre Graphic Novels. Maybe it's just me, but when I hear the phrase "graphic novel" my mind jumps to comic-strip books that are typically dripping with aliens, monsters, and blood (sometimes all in the same book) and that all the nerdy boys would read on the bus ride home from school. So, when the librarian told the kids that they would be spending the lesson looking at and reading these "graphic novels" my stomach did a flip. Was she serious? I don't consider myself a children's book expert by any means, but did I miss something here???? Yes, apparently I've missed something big. I've been missing an entire genre that has made a <b>BOLD</b> resurgence. <br />
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As my students read through and traded the graphic novels that the librarian picked out for them, I did a little perusing myself. I was truly blown away at the amount of books and the <b>types</b> of books that have been turned into graphic novels. It wasn't until I sat down to do more research for this blog that I realized how big this genre was...and I had NO CLUE it was out there. There are graphic biographies, graphic classics, graphic science, graphic for girls, graphic invention and discovery, graphic history...and the list goes on. <br />
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Here are just a few (as in a drop in the bucket) of the graphic novels that I found on available on Amazon. All of these are suggested for the age groups of 6 and up (some are 8 and up). If you have a boy (or a girl-although there seem to be a lot less geared towards girls) who just doesn't enjoy reading, try checking a few of these out. <i>**Please Note: I have not read the majority of these books and do not take responsibility of their content. That responsibility lies with you, the parent, to preview them before your child does!</i><br />
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I thought I'd start with a classic series. I would read these books ALL.THE.TIME as a kid. I don't know why....but I loved them. Apparently they are making a comeback as well. Our library has several different copies. All it took was me saying that I read those books as a kid and my students were pulling them off the shelves. The girls seem to really like them...more than the boys, at least.</div>
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Graphic Biographies<br />
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Graphic History<br />
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Graphic Science<br />
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Graphic Sport Illustrated Kids</div>
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Graphic Muppet...yes, I said it.</div>
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Graphic Nancy Dew and Graphic The Hardy Boys</div>
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Graphic Boxcar Children<br />
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Graphic Novels that would appeal to girls</div>
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Graphic Inventions and Discoveries</div>
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Graphic Tall Tales</div>
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Just a few random ones...I have one of the "Knights of the Lunch Table" series in my class library. The boys seem to like it a lot.<br />
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Graphic Classics</div>
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So there you have it!! I could have posted SEVERAL other covers...but I need to save room on my computer for more pictures of my adorable niece!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-43336349319127276922012-02-27T19:52:00.002-05:002017-01-18T16:38:34.910-05:00Just Plain 'Ole Good BooksFor me, music and books have a lot in common. Music has always helped soothe my soul regardless of the emotions running through it. Music gives me permission to cry, lift my hands in praise, scream at the top of my voice in anger, or dance. Music is comfort.<br />
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I feel the same way about books. Only books give me permission to step outside of whatever is going in in my life and live the life of another. Doesn't matter if it is a wand yielding fourth year, a tiny mouse with huge ears desperate to find love, or a girl fighting for her life in an arena. Books, if only for a moment, allow me to forget what is now and live as someone else. Books are comfort.<br />
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These book are just "good 'ole books" that I own (sometimes more than one copy) and have in my classroom library. Every time I get a new book in one of these series you would think that Santa himself were making a visit to the classroom. I love it...<br />
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David Shannon write some of the best children's books. He is both the author and illustrator of his books. His books are funny and have a good message.</div>
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Girls and boys alike love these books. As far as I know there are two books in this series. Kind of like movie sequels, the first one is the best. David Shannon is the illustrator.</div>
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A good friend of mine introduced me to this series a few years ago. It is now one of my favorites. There are four books in this series. When Miss Smith reads from her storybook the characters come to life. I'd like to think I'm a little like this character.</div>
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A lot of girls LOVE these books. Other books in this series include Silverlicious, Goldilicious, and Purplicious.</div>
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ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITES!!!!!!! I decided to use a quote from Amazon's "book description" to tell more about these books. "Make room for SkippyjonJones, a Siamese kittenboy who can't resign himself to being an ordinary cat. Having a time-out in his room, he resorts to his imagination. Taking on the superhero persona of the great Spanish sword fighter Skippito, he has the adventure of his life, and readers are invited along. Zany, wild, and over-the-top, this utterly original book truly begs to be read aloud." I couldn't have said it better myself. These books will leave you and your kids laughing out loud!!!</div>
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Another one of my favorites!!!!! (I know, I say that about every other book.) The first Splat the Cat book I read was "Love, Splat." I was hooked the first time I opened the pages and saw the fuzzy haired cat whose best friend is a mouse name Seymour. Another book that is a must for all home libraries.</div>
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This series of nonfiction books are really great. They tell the lives of real men and women and how they impacted our world. I just got the book "Who Was Dr. Seuss?" from the book fair a few weeks ago.</div>
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If your son (or daughter!) doesn't like to read, you might try this nonfiction series. I first got one of these books in a discount bin at Walmart several years ago. It has grown to be one of the favorites of boys in my class. I just added another one of these books to my classroom library and the boys fight over who gets to read it next.</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span></div>
Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-59258689400169486702012-01-29T21:45:00.000-05:002017-01-18T16:38:21.588-05:00"Mom, I want to read chapter books!!!"Has your 6 or 7 year old ever asked you if they could read chapter books but they always bring home books like Harry Potter and Gregor the Overlander? Those books are HUGE and most of the time the kids get so overwhelmed that they give up! Do not fear!! There are some really good "transitional" books for those kids who are ready to move from picture books to chapter books. <br />
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A continually faithful series is Cam Jansen. The chapters are short enough kids don't get get bogged down. And everyone loves a good mystery!!</div>
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Junie B. Jones books are sort of a controversy with some parents and teachers. Junie B. is a sassy little girl (early books she is in Kindergarten and then 1st grade) who has horrible grammar. A lot of parents don't like how sassy/smart mouth she can be, and a lot of teachers don't like her incorrect grammar. I first heard of Junie B. Jones when I was student teaching. My cooperating teacher read the series to her students. When she would read out loud, the kids would correct Junie B.'s grammar; that's how the teacher handled it. If you can get past the sassy talk and incorrect grammar, these books are SO FUNNY. I don't read them out loud to my students much any more (because they read them aloud in most of the 1st grade classrooms) but when I do, I am laughing out loud with the kids. If you are unsure if your child should read these books, I suggest checking out one from the library and reading it first.</div>
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Clementine is a little girl a lot like Ramona. These books aren't as long as the Ramona books, so they would be a good place to start. Girls usually really like this series!</div>
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The Geronimo Stilton books are some of the most uniquely written books I've ever read. They are so creative and funny. The format of the text is unlike anything else I've seen out there! Geronimo Stilton is a mouse who solves mysteries. Girls and boys both like them.</div>
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Thea Stilton is Geronimo Stilton's sister. This series is fairly new. They are just as funny as the original!</div>
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Hank the Cowdog books have been around for a while. Hank lives on a ranch and fights crime!! A lot of boys really like these books.</div>
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Judy Moody is another series where the little girl is similar to Ramona. These books are usually a hit with my 2nd graders.</div>
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Stink is Judy Moody's younger brother. Again...a hit! </div>
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The Magic School Tree House books are always a good choice. Each book is based in a historical location...sometimes a real event, sometimes not. What is fairly new is the "Fact Tracker" that they have started writing that goes with each book. It is a nonfiction version that tells about facts found in the fiction version of the books.</div>
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Let me start out by saying that I had to really convince myself to add this series to the list. These books are full of crude potty humor (obviously), but boys LOVE them. If you are having a hard time getting your son to read, you might try these books...if you can look past the stupidity!! </div>
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The movie made these books more and more popular. If you haven't read them, it's worth a try. They are silly and funny. I've found that both boys and girls like them. </div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-50650589031824535432012-01-16T12:31:00.000-05:002017-01-18T16:38:10.168-05:00Books for Beginning Readers<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">
Thanks to my friend January for the great idea for my next blog post! Books for beginning readers. Let me start out by saying that I've never taught kindergarten or first grade, which is when the foundation of learning to read is laid (other than at home, of course!). I won't pretend to be an expert on beginning readers. Please know that this list is based on what I have experienced in my classroom with stuggling reader who are still on the "beginning level" when they start second grade.</div>
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When you are searching for a "beginning" book for your child look for these things:</div>
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1. a lot of repetition</div>
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2. few sentences on each page</div>
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3. illustrations support the text (looking at the pictures as context clues is a great strategy for new readers!)</div>
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4. text will be slightly larger than on most picture books</div>
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A perfect example of this is the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See by <br />
Eric Carle. There are SEVERAL other books in this series (Polar Bear, Panda Bear). These books are also great books to talk to your child about making predictions. Asking questions like, "What do you think the bear will see next?"</div>
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On the same note, Eric Carle has many, many wonderful books for beginning readers. </div>
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I am sure that MANY homes have this book on their child's bookshelf! There is a second book called "Chicka, Chicka 1,2,3".</div>
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These beginning reader series of books are my absolute favorite!!! There are TONS of them in the series and they are all FABULOUS. I HIGHLY recommend any/all of them!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSj7wOVBjqLYbQOmw3cQBUxN5ouzaxaO377YlWl22gKBE3TNLkXxbvhMdxud56M6KPVbPgqGZgJoJrDxmK9uIwXGF-qP5jBSWTyOogPa5Zvq8iqx7cRqex5z2NHXW-dUpAgMyuWqLIrYc/s1600/clifford.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSj7wOVBjqLYbQOmw3cQBUxN5ouzaxaO377YlWl22gKBE3TNLkXxbvhMdxud56M6KPVbPgqGZgJoJrDxmK9uIwXGF-qP5jBSWTyOogPa5Zvq8iqx7cRqex5z2NHXW-dUpAgMyuWqLIrYc/s1600/clifford.jpg" /></a></div>
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You can't go wrong with Clifford!! This adorable dog has been around for years! There are MANY, MANY, MANY books in this series!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2bffl2v3f0T9qBv8zLAdzNpB2lIOSuT52laRTo13E4n_OYCfyuTW8zHgHUy3ovjIc3nMYa1fMg5t9osTO1nN9V-Cf6C7NDWsIJPu8u_xGow_M3wn3WLxEK40lnlnQZ5xwU5qBxHed90/s1600/if+you+give+a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" kba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX2bffl2v3f0T9qBv8zLAdzNpB2lIOSuT52laRTo13E4n_OYCfyuTW8zHgHUy3ovjIc3nMYa1fMg5t9osTO1nN9V-Cf6C7NDWsIJPu8u_xGow_M3wn3WLxEK40lnlnQZ5xwU5qBxHed90/s1600/if+you+give+a.jpg" /></a></div>
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A WONDERFUL series!!!! Another one with many, many books in the series and a great book for making predictions and full of repetition!</div>
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David Shannon is a wonderful author/illustrator. Many of his easy picture books are for school-aged kids, but this series is fairly new and a great place to start when looking for beginning reader books. As I was looking on Amazon for the cover, I noticed there have been a few more titles added to the series.</div>
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I hope these help to point you in the right direction! Happy reading!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-39265153568905832832012-01-09T21:49:00.000-05:002017-01-18T16:37:55.532-05:00From When I Was Little...Here are my sister and my favorite books from when we were younger. I remembered a few, but thanks to Becky's steel trap memory, here are ALL of the most loved books in our house from "back in the day." <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbqUU_1LxbtYGTvovSg6Dpljtes8XU7i4xJ9mTvIbH827Rc-c0Ii07J3Te3nmAPTHwC2IPmvSSZcp0KiSanO80-zWfkbjGEag7gedS8Q26GL1mGN6W01ax_Qm1uvjtg0CHcFa954rr1Q/s1600/harry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDbqUU_1LxbtYGTvovSg6Dpljtes8XU7i4xJ9mTvIbH827Rc-c0Ii07J3Te3nmAPTHwC2IPmvSSZcp0KiSanO80-zWfkbjGEag7gedS8Q26GL1mGN6W01ax_Qm1uvjtg0CHcFa954rr1Q/s1600/harry.jpg" /></a></div>
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This book, for some reason, has a major place in my heart. I can remember my heart aching when Harry went home after his big adventure and his family didn't recognize him (because he was so dirty!). Harry was so sad and I was too! I've bought this book for several friends kids, but the one that we read was only printed in black, gray, and white!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjil5yiqZkJtT0SryJi8u6tWIHUvZ_hkDUjgXv5JBOkhqnGcZm6f-Gv8ED4UvC51beRR1-OTa5JXYHcd5l3Cg0YF91-SEDB8yOA3k-Dkis-UcUpIswXmr3f6NVIjk7c6s-dKs5WAGoNBUc/s1600/Monster+at+the+end.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjil5yiqZkJtT0SryJi8u6tWIHUvZ_hkDUjgXv5JBOkhqnGcZm6f-Gv8ED4UvC51beRR1-OTa5JXYHcd5l3Cg0YF91-SEDB8yOA3k-Dkis-UcUpIswXmr3f6NVIjk7c6s-dKs5WAGoNBUc/s1600/Monster+at+the+end.jpg" /></a></div>
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This book...I can hear my mom, right now. Sitting on Becky or my bed, and in her best Grover voice BEGGING us not to turn each page. As we did, her voice (excuse me, Grover's voice) became more and more pleading..."PLEASE DON'T TURN THE PAGE! There is a MONSTER at the end of this book!" What a great memory!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2taVeTnuYOIfSHe6LsEs4Qg9QjMJbCoblOBjzj9V1O3_ccN2HPtSpCCyE256z_Ul7nFyf37Ke3lLA5178jCbWLWATGtnYIhcIosQH2QD9E1AKRE_LZd38qKbwGs5mUjv7SZDxgket3I/s1600/lion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2taVeTnuYOIfSHe6LsEs4Qg9QjMJbCoblOBjzj9V1O3_ccN2HPtSpCCyE256z_Ul7nFyf37Ke3lLA5178jCbWLWATGtnYIhcIosQH2QD9E1AKRE_LZd38qKbwGs5mUjv7SZDxgket3I/s1600/lion.jpg" /></a></div>
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My mom read most (if not all) of The Chronicles of Narnia books to us. Becky might have been to young to remember, but I know I do!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFRxD7tW-qgbDA2GMR8X61WlyMEekmbCryr7Ghyphenhyphen7OT2Bw-qIONznytrMEih_FvM8XiGPoMP9iUpsoinbJKrb0AxSgnPnOQYGkr-xPOH4BpFhbcHA_pVeRBQ_3oxRdKZfFvX7G6oxELZA/s1600/pickle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCFRxD7tW-qgbDA2GMR8X61WlyMEekmbCryr7Ghyphenhyphen7OT2Bw-qIONznytrMEih_FvM8XiGPoMP9iUpsoinbJKrb0AxSgnPnOQYGkr-xPOH4BpFhbcHA_pVeRBQ_3oxRdKZfFvX7G6oxELZA/s1600/pickle.jpg" /></a></div>
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Big props to my sister for remembering these next two books. We read them ALL the time. What I remember most about this book (after seeing the cover it all came rushing back to me!) was how absurd the story line was. Even when I was little, I remember thinking "This is crazy!" And that's exactly why I loved it and couldn't read it enough!!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mIIqaJfvOp-TpeIYAHt4GLrXyXVMdeBSuTttKLOc1Wt-lBBPcgJlSxrzyoeU_HEPIfgJbqc9zfl1RQst3N81ZoXVWsPVWox4nYPMx-UYLNJho5YXbqvGV_TGuK_BGfpRLvSzdGwZ4jQ/s1600/flying+stick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mIIqaJfvOp-TpeIYAHt4GLrXyXVMdeBSuTttKLOc1Wt-lBBPcgJlSxrzyoeU_HEPIfgJbqc9zfl1RQst3N81ZoXVWsPVWox4nYPMx-UYLNJho5YXbqvGV_TGuK_BGfpRLvSzdGwZ4jQ/s1600/flying+stick.jpg" /></a></div>
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Doesn't the cover alone make you want to read this book?? This story, even though I knew it wasn't/couldn't be true, was magical to me. The entire time, I can remember thinking, "But what if....just what if it could really happen??"</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGX7-SvHVphtoWtOFaqURe4wGjsbsiJDvkzHGKAR1EOtIKxwgiXPzo7riZvCLIalvP9ku66yUqjhV2hqysqW4AJhO2igFc6unfCLHZGHL9XVwkuF5C_4iKSjjm1gq4OoEhDEZtixuJaA/s1600/nate+the+great.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEGX7-SvHVphtoWtOFaqURe4wGjsbsiJDvkzHGKAR1EOtIKxwgiXPzo7riZvCLIalvP9ku66yUqjhV2hqysqW4AJhO2igFc6unfCLHZGHL9XVwkuF5C_4iKSjjm1gq4OoEhDEZtixuJaA/s1600/nate+the+great.jpg" /></a></div>
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My sister and dad have a special bond over these books. My dad doesn't love reading, much like my sister growing up. However, something about this series of books made them the most avid readers when they were in their hands. They would read these together and laugh and laugh. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1GyUKFSEXtrK3NJHU3TnP7lRao8Tjmn1W1eOK5o3dQJn53_DwYLYXQhEeRBMzBkGtMhiUAeTfGvfAmRazcHe7xhlrFDmLML5jc3PVAEHiZuSz76JLUAIaZlDonLu5SxTWV-9oLizhsmw/s1600/forest+hote.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1GyUKFSEXtrK3NJHU3TnP7lRao8Tjmn1W1eOK5o3dQJn53_DwYLYXQhEeRBMzBkGtMhiUAeTfGvfAmRazcHe7xhlrFDmLML5jc3PVAEHiZuSz76JLUAIaZlDonLu5SxTWV-9oLizhsmw/s1600/forest+hote.jpg" /></a></div>
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I called my mom to see what books she remembers reading to Becky and I when we were little. My mom didn't even stop to think. This first book flew off of her tongue like she read it yesterday! It is a sweet counting book about a family of rabbits. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrPGWnHCa1Ocqpv1FiHN20ptUAerWWcRf9ZH3Ms8Aki5mP_Cboku9vV46-eApV5CRPJccAqsrX2XVdZN3_D2TqpZm1T9npnB-LkE7zPf2bUjYvbYUOgoa6g7i-GY_Lxrif6-12QnH0gA/s1600/little+engine+that+could.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUrPGWnHCa1Ocqpv1FiHN20ptUAerWWcRf9ZH3Ms8Aki5mP_Cboku9vV46-eApV5CRPJccAqsrX2XVdZN3_D2TqpZm1T9npnB-LkE7zPf2bUjYvbYUOgoa6g7i-GY_Lxrif6-12QnH0gA/s1600/little+engine+that+could.jpg" /></a></div>
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A classic...what more is there to say??</div>
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My mom said that she owned this collection of Beatrix Potter stories before Becky and I were born. She read all of the stories to us several times.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPsmwb_FTf3Xl2xhGZG1AKqYENyRWrNXXDd7uDZMIPjNM2Z9Y77vfzZRlWgU4S_ZMz5cIm5MuU9hbVJyNt76eew4JXWETGHT8dI9tPmjxCxlTspEZVpZ6nz5YV9r38mtD3JhQU0jRYg8/s1600/amelia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijPsmwb_FTf3Xl2xhGZG1AKqYENyRWrNXXDd7uDZMIPjNM2Z9Y77vfzZRlWgU4S_ZMz5cIm5MuU9hbVJyNt76eew4JXWETGHT8dI9tPmjxCxlTspEZVpZ6nz5YV9r38mtD3JhQU0jRYg8/s1600/amelia.jpg" /></a></div>
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STILL a beloved character today! I picked this cover specifically because I remember it! Who doesn't love the silly but so genuine character that is Amelia Bedelia??</div>
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What were your favorite books growing up??? I'd love to hear about them!!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span></div>
Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-27372028248548221702012-01-04T22:01:00.000-05:002017-01-18T16:37:40.963-05:00My Favorite...IllustratorWhen it comes to "easy picture books," the illustrator has just as important a job as the author. My favorite illustrator is David Catrow. I don't know how many books he has illustrated, but it's A LOT. His illustrations are HILARIOUS. They bring a funny book to an entirely new level. When I read his books to my students, I am constantly stopping to throw my head back and laugh because of his pictures. The books that I have read, that he has illustrated, are great for young kids up to elementary. <br />
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Here are a few of my favorites:<br />
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I read this book on the first day of school every year. I have several copies of it in my classroom. That's how much I love it! Molly is a little (tiny!) girl who isn't going to let her height stand in the way of being herself. She even uses her differences to change the school bully! </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JUk3IynGMn4/TwUQNPjK_wI/AAAAAAAAACA/ECiy8Paur3I/s1600/i+like+myslef.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" rea="true" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JUk3IynGMn4/TwUQNPjK_wI/AAAAAAAAACA/ECiy8Paur3I/s1600/i+like+myslef.jpg" /></a></div>
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This is another book that I read the first few days of school. This little girl likes herself the way she is...even if she had a green nose, or pointed spine, or blue teeth! </div>
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I ALWAYS read this story to my class around Christmas. It's so funny and the kids LOVE it. Murry has to step in as Santa for the night, after an elf accidentally knocks Santa out cold! </div>
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David Catrow has illustrated several poem books by Alan Katz. They are a FABULOUS team. All of these poems are HILARIOUS and they are written to the tunes of different songs. The title of the poem from the cover is supposed to be sung in the tune of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame." This is the first of two books. The second one is called "I'm Still Here in The Bathtub." They also have a great book of poems about Christmas called, "Where Did They Hide My Presents?" LOVE THEM!!!!</div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-432589954484423382012-01-04T21:42:00.000-05:002012-01-04T21:46:01.843-05:00"How Do I Make My Child Love To Read?"On the way home from school, I was thinking about the blog that I posted yesterday. I was thinking how the books that I mentioned were all chapter books and how a lot of parents probably think that those level of books won't really apply to them right now because their kids aren't even school age. In my first post, I talked about what ignited my passion for children's literature. But what I didn't talk about is how I have ALWAYS been an avid reader. I attribute that to two things: 1. My kindergarten teacher. Not only was she an amazing teacher (according to my parents...I don't remember the academics part so much), but I remember how she loved us. It was the first time I realized that someone other than a family member could love you. She made learning to read fun. And second, (this, I am positive, is the most valuable piece in the puzzle that causing my love of reading.) My mom read to me from the womb. And I don't just mean that she read to me (and my sister) every night. The love my mom had for reading and books was translated in how and what she would read to us. When she read, she used voices. When she read, she had the best inflections and expressions. She would read to us ALL THE TIME. I remember my mom reading The Hobbit to my sister and I when I was 8 years old (Becky would have been around 4). In the summer, my mom always took us to the library. My mom never complained when Becky or I asked her to read "Harry the Dirty Dog" or "There's A Monster At The End of This Book" over and over and over. Each time she used the same funny voices and expression...just like it was the first time we'd ever heard it.<br />
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I say all of this to let you know that I FIRMLY believe that it is never too early to saturate your child's world in books...any and all sorts of books. In my 11 years of teaching, I get the same question over and over, "How do I make my child love to read?" My first question to them is, "Do you like to read?" and 95% of the time, their answer is no. I tell them that not all students will love to read and that is just the way they are wired. I do tell them, however, LEARNING to read and LOVING to read are two different things. And no matter how much they push their child to read for fun, it won't work...and really all it will cause is frustration for everyone involved. I don't ever remember a time that my mom made me read to her (I'm sure there were times that I had to for school). I do, however, remember when I asked if I could read to her. <br />
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As I type this, I think that I need to rephrase my earlier statement. My mom didn't create a love for reading. My mom created a love for stories. She would use her voice to make it all come to life. And I knew, from day one, that I couldn't wait to do that on my own. My mom didn't push books down our throat...she made it something that we craved each day. THAT is what I use in my classroom every day to help students love to read. <br />
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One of the most rewarding parts of my job is when parents come back to me, years later, and tell me that their child found the love of reading in my classroom. I know I'm not a mom. I know I don't have to get my child to read 20 minutes each night because that's what the school requires. But I do have 22 seven and eight year olds-every day-some who are scared of books because reading is hard for them. Some who are good readers, but just have no desire to pick up a book. I take it as a personal challenge to show each of them the love of stories. And by learning how to read or picking up a book, they can enjoy those stories too.<br />
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When I started this post, it was going to be a few sentences about my mom and the love of stories. Guess I had more to say than I realized!!Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7045816956750230800.post-73994156492024629852012-01-03T21:54:00.000-05:002017-01-18T16:36:54.857-05:00My Favorite<span style="font-family: "georgia";">My love for children’s literature started my junior year in college. We were given the assignment: read 200 Caldecott medal winners and honor books and write a summary for each. As enormous as this assignment was, it ignited my passion for children’s literature. I use the word passion because that is exactly what it is. It’s more than a love or a desire. Passing on this passion for reading is what fills my heart with joy. There is nothing better than hearing a child say, “Are you going to read us a book now?? PLEASE???”<br />So here I am…starting this blog, to pass on my passion for books to you, that you might share it </span><span style="font-family: "georgia";">with your child.<br />It would only seem fitting to start a blog about children’s books with my favorite author. That man is Roald Dahl. He has written many, many books…most of them for children. Here are my top favorites-ones I ALWAYS read to my classes, each and every year.<br /><b></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtd_od93mZwycaNaYyPlbpbeseTnRiSfNHAfR6hnQr2u_TOfKaHLg_Ye4Xo5pw-NVtpjN1NwLRiO86WFXpwfcE5os74OQih_yZ6rLjt-vj2fXrkqhI7r6_r08E3wA66063Sj_uVMTKIs/s1600/bfg.jpg"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693610379436078082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrtd_od93mZwycaNaYyPlbpbeseTnRiSfNHAfR6hnQr2u_TOfKaHLg_Ye4Xo5pw-NVtpjN1NwLRiO86WFXpwfcE5os74OQih_yZ6rLjt-vj2fXrkqhI7r6_r08E3wA66063Sj_uVMTKIs/s320/bfg.jpg" style="cursor: hand; float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 300px;" /></span></a></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><b>The BFG</b>: A Big Friendly Giant befriends the orphan Sophie. Together they work with the Queen of England to rid the world of “human bean” eating giants! The BGF is my favorite character that Roald Dahl created. He is loving, honest, kind, and gentle. I’ve always said that if I have a daughter, I’d like to name her Sophie because of this book. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Age: Amazon says that the book is for kids 7 years old and up. I think most 7 year olds would have a hard time reading this on their own because of the “silly” way the BFG talks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><b>The </b></span><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><b>Witches</b>: If you allow your child to read/watch Harry Potter or don’t mind them reading about magic, then your kids will LOVE this book!! A little boy (Roald Dahl never gives the main character a name) and his grandmother take a vacation to Norway for the summer. While the little boy works on training his white mice to do tricks, he runs into a room full of witches!! Can the little boy and his grandmother rid Norway of the Witches?? Read to find out!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD7qIjVNeCoh8FXPTe1xi4TnrPuUSTsRCnjvUdieBa37clYJnrZk8_bArV-JJEf5n60-pgHIJYbU_DiSIw_BPjvmp1ua2a0cZ2zkhhNuo5HuQqMudMTbf_mufFW3bmSBB-GTKhW0rAJnI/s1600/george%2527s+med.jpg"><span style="font-family: "georgia";"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693610660119983698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD7qIjVNeCoh8FXPTe1xi4TnrPuUSTsRCnjvUdieBa37clYJnrZk8_bArV-JJEf5n60-pgHIJYbU_DiSIw_BPjvmp1ua2a0cZ2zkhhNuo5HuQqMudMTbf_mufFW3bmSBB-GTKhW0rAJnI/s320/george%2527s+med.jpg" style="float: left; height: 300px; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 300px;" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><b>George’s Marvelous Medicine</b>: This might be one of my very favorite books that Roald Dahl wrote. It is always one of the favorites of the students, as well. George has a very grouchy and angry grandmother. One day when George’s parents are away, he decides to replace his grandmother’s medicine with his own marvelous concoction!!! The results are stupendous!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">Age: This is one of Roald Dahl’s “mini-novels.” (not sure what the technical term for that is!). It is a MUCH easier read than the first two. Most 7-8 year olds could read this book on his/her own fairly easily. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><b>Side Note</b>: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">1. Many of the Roald Dahl books refer to an adult drinking beer or whiskey. It is never an detail in any of the books I have read. It is more of a mention – like you and I would say “a glass of wine with dinner.” Not an “issue” in my opinion, but I know that many parents would like to know that it is mentioned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">2. Most of Roald Dahl’s books are great read-a-louds for children 6 and up. Because Roald Dahl grew up in Wales, Norway, and England, his sentence structure and grammar usage can be unusual. (Example: “Whipped cream isn't whipped cream at all if it hasn’t been whipped with whips, just like poached eggs isn't poached eggs unless it's been stolen in the dead of the night.” ― Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">3. Not all of his books are for young kids. The book Revolting Rhymes is a book of poetry that is geared more towards junior high age kids. As with any book a child is going to read, it’s a good idea to read it first!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";">So there you have it! Some of my favorites! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "georgia";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>**All images are from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/" target="_blank">www.amazon.com</a></i></span> </span>Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17951061492510283767noreply@blogger.com0