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Thursday, March 12, 2015

ReedAloud: These spring titles from Chronicle

Spring is in the air and new books are popping up all over the place, which is good, because with three feet of snow on the ground nothing is popping up there at the moment.  

Here are some books from Chronicle that we'll be reading aloud in the next few months.


HOW TO READ A STORY
Written by Kate Messner 
Illustrated by Mark Siegel

Step One: Find a story. (A good one.)
Step Two: Find a reading buddy. (Someone nice.)
Step Three: Find a reading spot. (Couches are cozy.)
Now: Begin.
From Goodreads:
"Accomplished storytellers Kate Messner and Mark Siegel chronicle the process of becoming a reader: from pulling a book off the shelf and finding someone with whom to share a story, to reading aloud, predicting what will happen, and—finally—coming to The End. This picture book playfully and movingly illustrates the idea that the reader who discovers the love of reading finds, at the end, the beginning."

My ReedAloud Plan: This engagingly-illustrated, recipe for reading could be read during School Library Month as a way to talk about shared reading experiences and the joy that books, and the stories they hold, bring. There's also an opportunity for students to write about a shared reading experience they have had - take the premise and insert their experience. It's also a perfect mentor text for the "How To" books the students have to write for their ELA units. I am looking forward to using this book with students. 

BEACH HOUSE
Written by Deanna Caswell
Illustrated by Amy June Bates
A long, long drive.
It's been a year
of dreaming, waiting.
Now, summer's here.

From Goodreads:
"In a funny and heartfelt celebration of family, vacations, and the joy of the sea, Deanna Caswell and Amy June Bates capture the essence of summer—building sand castles, jumping the waves, and watching the stars come out after a long day at the beach—and the love that warms every moment."

My ReedALOUD Plan: During poetry month, my students will be adding their own stanzas to this beautifully-illustrated, heart-warming, celebration of summer. The rhythmic narrative evokes memories of summer vacation, while the illustrations capture summer days spent by the water. The students create their own art with mixed media, one of our apps, or one of our web-based resources. This would also be a perfect book to finish off the school year and share summer dreams.  

I WISH YOU MORE
Illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld


From Goodreads:
"Some books are about a single wish. Some books are about three wishes. The infallible team of Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld have combined their extraordinary talents to create this exuberant book of endless good wishes. Wishes for curiosity and wonder, for friendship and strength, laughter and peace. Whether celebrating life's joyous milestones, sharing words of encouragement, or observing the wonder of everyday moments, this sweet and uplifting book is perfect for wishers of every age."

My ReedALOUD Plan: We need more books that get children thinking about other people, a counter to their naturally-egocentric selves. Between Earth Day and our community serves day, I see opportunities to read this story and talk about how we can help others. I also see this book providing some closure to the school year by having the students write down wishes for each other. 

Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt
Illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal




From Goodreads:
"In this exuberant and lyrical follow-up to the award-winning Over and Under the Snow, discover the wonders that lie hidden between stalks, under the shade of leaves . . . and down in the dirt. Explore the hidden world and many lives of a garden through the course of a year! Up in the garden, the world is full of green—leaves and sprouts, growing vegetables, ripening fruit. But down in the dirt exists a busy world—earthworms dig, snakes hunt, skunks burrow—populated by all the animals that make a garden their home."

My ReedAloud Plan: Say it isn't so! Is spring really only ten days away? If so, it's time to begin thinking about our school garden. Every new garden year needs an introduction and this book provides just that. Up in the Garden Down in the Dirt gives readers the big picture on a garden season - from waking up the earth to preparing it for another winter sleep plus a recognition of the critters that keep gardens healthy along the way. Our spring science curriculum focuses on life cycles, I can see students doing research on the plants and animals in this book. I can also see this research turning into scientific drawings and garden stories.

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