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Saturday, February 18, 2017

ReedALOUD: We are Growing!

Way back in February, my kindergarten students and I read We Are Growing as part of an exploration of the Early Reader Neighborhood, to learn about the Geisel Award, and celebrate this year's medal-winning book. I adore this book. 

Laurie Keller gives these blades of grass (and one interloper) such wonderful personalities and puts them in a story whose message is wonderfully engaging.

The Geisel Committee explains the book best: "With an endorsement from Elephant and Piggie, early readers will delight in following the hilarious and zany growth spurts of seven blades of grass. As the green blades talk (and posture) about their unique identities, they are interrupted by a menacing purple lawnmower.Expressive facial features distinguish each blade and add to character development in a fresh way. The use of onomatopoeia, word play, speech bubbles, and creative manipulation of font size combine to offer beginning readers an engaging experience."


Although the situation might differ (we won't be mowed down like blades of grass), the messages are important and universal. As with Walt, we are on a quest to discover who we are and what role we will play in this life.





You'll have to read the book to find out about Walt. In the meantime, inspired by this funny and thoughtful story, my students created their own unique blades of grass:



















Thursday, February 9, 2017

Beautiful Board Books from Chronicle Books






On this snow day, I've been catching up on my reading, which means I am surrounded by stacks of books. Book spine poetry is a fun exercise wherever a #bookstack exists! These board books from Chronicle Books are fun inside, too. These books encourage exploration and invite inquiry. Young readers will be engaged by the beautiful art, concepts, and stories. 
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The magical storytelling we've come to expect from Molly Idle now in board book form! in Flora and the Chicks, Flora's encounter with a nest full of eggs and a temporarily absent mother leaves Flora quite busy! The story unfolds with each page turn and reveals itself with each gate fold. All goes well until the little chicks bring her a tasty worm, luckily mother hen returns just in time! 







In Fly! young readers move story pieces along as a bird makes a home in a tree, meets a mate, makes a nest, guards eggs, and watches new life take flight. 







This series will be helping to grow global citizens!




Lessons from the little one in You and Me, Me and You show that we are all learners.



Classic Amy Krouse Rosenthal humor here as Little Oink wants nothing more to be neat in a world that asks him to be messy.


Making connections to the natural world in Mommy Snuggles...


and Daddy Dreams


Sisters with different interests are celebrated in Masha and Her Sisters


The class field trip to the museum takes a different turn in A Funny Thing Happened at the Museum