Gazing at my pile of potential blog prizes for this week, two disparate ones jumped out at me: I Do Not Like Books Any More! (Candlewick) and Look! I Wrote a Book! (And You Can Too!) (Schwartz & Wade). Mixed up prizes for mixed up times, right?
To enter this week’s random giveaway, let us know the best book you’ve read lately, one that you think your fellow teachers would love too. Submit your comment by Thursday, April 30. One lucky teacher will WIN! (Update: congratulations to Darlene, who is the winner of our prize.)
Here are some other quick items that I hope you’ll be glad you read:
Recommend Storyline Online to keep students and families reading. Famous folks of all types each read a children’s book; there’s even a calendar of books that tie to special events all month and bonus activities to download. Go ahead and get started; today is World Art Day and you can watch actor Eric Close read When Pigasso Met Mootisse. Check out all of the options at storylineonline.net.
For preschool and kindergarten teachers, Peppa Pig and her pals have new activities to download and a sweepstakes to enter; this month’s prize is $150 in Peppa merchandise and a $150 Amazon gift card for classroom supplies. Plus you’ll find send-home activities for parents and children. Click here to enter.
Get yourself moving and share activities with students’ families too: Sanford fit has hundreds of free resources–lessons, printables, videos, activities and games–to get kids moving and developing healthy lifestyles. Check it out at fit.sanfordhealth.org/educators.
I’m listening to To Kill a Mockingbird on audiobook; it’s read by Sissy Spacek. So that gets a BIG thumbs up from me!
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PS: Learning magazine has prizes worth $4,700+; go now!
I just finished reading ‘Column of Fire’ by Ken Follet. It was amazing – long, but amazing. Not a book to be read to/with students (especially not my kinder kids!) but a great book to lose yourself in during quarantine time.
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. I read it to my granddaughter yesterday.
What great life lessons.
I have been reading stories to my kindergartners when we do our Zoom meetings each day. Pete the Cat books and books by Mo Willems always make them smile, but is really hard to pick favorites. My classes always make fun of me because when I introduce new literature, I always say, “This is one of my favorite books.” I have to many “favorite” stories and authors to name, but my favorite read recently was “The Pigeon Finds A Hotdog” by Mo Willems. Who doesn’t love Mo Willems’ stories?
We still had our big box of Dr. Seuss books out front and center and a child in my daycare asked for The Butter Battle Book by Dr. Seuss. Such a great lesson in that book and we had a great discussion on how it would end and for what purpose? Of course I went and made toast and we all buttered our toast in different ways…
Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk is a definite new-ish favorite!! Historical fiction at its finest!!
I’ve just recently finished reading book four of The Loctorian Chronicles, a sci-fi series for young adults. I’m anxiously waiting for book 5 (the final book) to be released! They were actually written by a friend of mine, Andi J. Feron, which makes it even better!
I absolutely loved Where the Crawdads Sing, so much in fact, that one of my students gave it to me as a Christmas gift. I just finished an oldie about the surgeon in Antarctica, the title escapes me, but I couldn’t put it down.
I just read Waiting is Not Easy by Mo Willems as an online read aloud to my students. It seemed relevant for the times we’re living and has a great message at the end about appreciating the things that never change. If you do not have the book, there are several good YouTube readings of it.
I haven’t read any adult books in a while. I teach Preschool so I read a lot of children’s books. i have too many of those to list by titles but some of my favorite authors are Dr.Suess, Eric Carle, Laura Joffe Numeroff, James & Kimberly Dean, ,Leo Lionni, & Anna Dewdney
I just read “Perfect Square” by Michael Hall. It is short, which is good for little kids, because they tend to have short attention spans. The book basically describes what a square is, but it does it in creative ways. It also has the message (without saying these words) to make the best of what happens in life. Here is an example from 2 pages in the book. “On Thursday, the square was shattered. So it made itself into a bridge.”
Balanced and Barefoot by Angela Hanscom for my fellow teachers. For the kids in my class, we really enjoyed The Very Quiet Cricket, which is not a new book, but it was new to them!
I found a young adult series by Gloria Whelan: “Angel on the Square,” “The Impossible Journey,” “Burying The Sun,” and “The Turning.” These books are incredible. So much history. Ms. Whelan makes you feel like you are right there in the story. I highly recommend these books.
I have been reading Baker & Taylor about two library cats in Nevada. It is written for adults, but there is nothing objectionable in the book. It is a warm, happy book. Just what I need right now!
Lilac Girls a good historical fiction story to take you away from this crazy world we are living in right now. Stay well and stay safe all
I love Rhyming Dust Bunnies. One year I had a class that made me read it every single day before naptime!
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library
I plan to use this as a read aloud with my 3rd graders whenever we’re allowed back to school.
I have been reading A Beautiful Day in The Neighborhood The Poetry of Mr. Rogers. Is wonderful and perfect for what the world is going through now!
I have been reading WWII fiction, lately. I loved The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah, The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, and The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. So many books, so much time!!
I have been reading The Complete Poems of Carl Sandburg. He is one of my favorite poets.
I read Little Fires Everywhere. I know not school related but it was so good!