Before We Were Yours (Lisa Wingate)

 

I really enjoyed this story. It bounces between the present and the past and I found myself engrossed in each of the stories and then eager to get back to the other one as it came up. I read this book for my book club and everyone seemed to enjoy it. 

Before We Were Yours also has a non-fiction companion book of sorts. It is called Before and After: The Incredible Real-Life Stories of Orphans Who Survived the Tennessee Children's Home Society.

Before andGoodreads says:

Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty.

Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.

Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong. 

I Am A Wolf (Kelly Leigh Miller)

 

Super simple quick read, but a great message on imagination, friendship and family. Great story when time is short but you need to read a story.

Goodreads says:

A dog who insists she's a wolf finds the perfect home with a young girl who sees past her prickly personality in this pet adoption story that's as laugh-out-loud funny as it is heart-tugging.

When a particularly growly pup finds herself in an animal shelter, she insists that she is a wolf--a lone wolf. After all, she's not sweet, she's not cute, and she is just fine on her own! Luckily, there's one little girl at the shelter who knows that sometimes, good dogs act bad when they feel afraid and that extending a little kindness can help even the most wolfish pup at the pound let down her guard.

Little Fox and the Wild Imagination (Jorma Taccone and Dan Santat)

 

Pure Dan Santat craziness. Love it!

Super cute representation of the value of imagination. 
My favorite part is where they have to read all the books (5000!) before bed. 

Goodreads says:

BEWARE!

This is a tale of great caution, terror, and destruction . . .

of bath time, and bedtime, and the battle in between.

This is the story of Little Fox and one VERY BIG imagination.

Debut author Jorma Taccone, member of the hit comedy trio The Lonely Island, has paired up with New York Times–bestselling, Caldecott Medal–winning illustrator Dan Santat to create Little Fox and the Wild Imagination, a picture book about time, space, and even giant-robot-squids.

Dude! (Aaron Reynolds and Dan Santat)

 

Dream Team: Aaron Reynolds and Dan Santat!

Only Aaron Reynolds (of Creepy Carrots fame) and Dan Santat could pull off a book with one word. It's on every page and it makes sense. 

Goodreads says:

Aaron Reynolds, the author of Nerdy Birdy and Creepy Carrots! teams up with Dan Santat, the Caldecott–winning illustrator behind The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend to create the hilarious, gnarly summer adventure picture book, Dude!

Dude! You have to read this book.

It's totally about this platypus and this beaver who are friends. They want to go surfing but dude, there's this shark who's in the ocean, too.

But don't worry. This shark approaches and you'll never guess what happens.

Hensel and Gretel Ninja Chicks (Corey Rosen Schwarts and Rebecca Gomez, Illustrated by Dan Santat)

 

Totally Dan Santat style. Funny and amazing illustrations. This one will be really enjoyed!

Goodreads says:

These ninja chicks are anything but chicken!

When Hensel and Gretel's dad gets snatched by a fox, the sisters put their ninja skills to work to track him down before he can be stir-fried.

But are these two little chicks ready to take on a dark tangled forest, a tricky house made of corn bread, and an even trickier fox?

This plucky pair isn't giving up without a fight!

KIYA! 

The Rough Patch (Brian Lies)

 

This wasn't what I expected, but it struck a chord. It's hard to lose your best friend. Things do get better...even if there is a hole in your heart. Books about losing dogs always make me cry. Have to be careful if I read this one aloud in class.

Good reads says:

Evan and his dog do everything together, from eating ice cream to caring for their award-winning garden, which grows big and beautiful. One day the unthinkable happens: Evan’s dog dies. Heartbroken, Evan destroys the garden and everything in it. The ground becomes overgrown with prickles and thorns, and Evan embraces the chaos.

But beauty grows in the darkest of places, and when a twisting vine turns into an immense pumpkin, Evan is drawn out of his misery and back to the county fair, where friendships—old and new—await.

Gator Dad (Brian Lies)

 

This feels like a glimpse into the non-traditional stay at home dad. It is lovely and fun! Super quick read.

Goodreads says:

From seemingly mundane tasks such as grocery shopping to more active pursuits like a romp at the park and fort-building, a loving and playful father alligator shows his gator kids that the simplest pleasures done together can make for an incredibly fun day.
     Presented by New York Times bestselling author Brian Lies (Bats at the Beach), this heartwarming story demonstrates a series of very special ways children can connect with their fathers and should appeal to parents and little readers everywhere.

Bats At the Beach (Brian Lies)

 One of many books with bats as the characters by Brian Lies. These bats do a lot of stuff. 

Great illustrations!

Goodreads says:

FromCaldecott honor–winning and New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Brian Lies, a charming and lyrical beachy read perfect for summertime—or anytime. The first of many nighttime adventures with the award-winning Bat Book series.

Quick, call out! Tell all you can reach: the night is just perfect for bats at the beach!

So pack your buckets, banjos, and blankets—don’t forget the moon-tan lotion—and wing with this bunch of fuzzy bats to where foamy sea and soft sand meet.

Brian Lies’s enchanting art and cheery beachside verse will inspire bedtime imaginations again and again. Come visit a bedazzling world of moonlight, firelight, and . . . bats!

Check out brianlies.com for more escapades with these zany bats.

All Of Us (Kathryn Erskine and Alexandra Boiger)

This book has a beautiful feel to it. The words are simple and the message is beautiful. We make up by a unique and diverse group. Could be a great discussion starter at the start of the school year. We are going to read The Best Part of Me and use it as a mentor text. This could be a great prelude to that activity or it could even be great to read after as a reminder that we're all unique and important in our class.

Goodreads says:

A beautiful book about community and love by National Book Award winner Kathryn Erskine and #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator Alexandra Boiger.

ME can be WE. YOU can come, too. In a lyrical text that travels the globe, National Book Award winner Kathryn Erskine shows young readers how the whole world is a community made up of people who are more similar than we are different. With stunning, cinematic art by Alexandra Boiger, the illustrator of the She Persisted series, this is the perfect read-aloud at bedtime or for story time. Perfect for fans of All Are Welcome and Be Kind.

Praise for All of Us

* [In this] book about global inclusivity . . . the breathtaking art carries the message throughout. --Booklist, starred review

A lyrical celebration of unity and diversity . . . Purely sweet. --Kirkus Reviews
 

Bats at the Ballgame (Brian Lies)

 

Fun for kids who love bats (or when you do a bat unit!). The bats are characters in the story...doesn't really teach about bats. 

Goodreads says:

We’re off to watch the bats play ball!

You’ll never forget your first game: the green so green, the presence of heroes past, and togetherness with family and friends, rooting for the home team.

But you think humans are the only ones who enjoy America’s national pastime? Grab your bat—the other kind—and your mitt, and join these captivating bats as they flutter off to watch their all-stars compete. How about a mothdog?  Or some Cricket Jack?

In sweeping compositions that transport fans to the rightside-up and upside-down world of bats at play, Brian Lies treats us to a whole new ballgame.

Bats in the Band (Brian Lies)

 

I came across Bats In Night School and thought I should check out more of Brian Lies books. 

Goodreads says:

The look on our faces is easy to read:
a little night music is just what we need!

A late-spring night sky fills with bats flocking to a theater, already echoing and booming with delightful sounds of music. Bat music—plunky banjoes, bat-a-tat drums, improvised instruments, country ballads, and the sweet cries of a bat with the blues. Join this one-of-a-kind music festival as the bats celebrate the rhythm of the night, and the positive power of music. Brian Lies’s newest celebration of bats and their dazzling, dizzying world will lift everyone’s spirits with joyous noise and cheer!

The Perfect Seat (Minh Le and Gus Gordon)

 

Minh Le has some beautiful books (Drawn Together is one of my favorites). I thought of Deborah Ellis' brilliant book, Sit, when I picked it up, and it might be a good match. This one is for a much younger audience. It's quite cute. Could be a good way to start of our year's goal of reading a story every day....but truthfully, I like more control at the carpet and this might invite kids to think they can move around and sit in different places. LOL

Goodreads says:

This child and their parent are almost ready for story time--but first, they must find the perfect seat! This picture book takes readers through various opposites ("Too rough! Too slippery!") as the characters search for just the right spot.

Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning (Peter C Brown, Henry L Roediger III, Mark A McDaniel)

 

Chapter 1: Learning is Misunderstood

- Many people believe that their intellectual ability is hard-wired from birth, and that failure to meet a learning challenge is an indictment of their native ability. But every time you learn something new, you change the brain - the residue of yoru experiences is stored.

- Many teachers believe that if they can make learning easier and faster, the learning will be better. Much research turns this belief on its head: when learning is harder, it's stronger and lasts longer.

....then the book came due at the library so I skipped ahead to chapter 8:

1. Retrieving - practice retrieving new (and old) learning (self-quizzing).
2. Spacing - space out your retrieval practice, leave time to forget in between practice sessions.
3. Interleaving - alternate working on different problems facilitates spacing and forgetting (making learning more difficult, which improves learning).
4. Elaboration - try to find additional layers of meaning in the new material.
5. Generation - attempt to answer a question or solve a problem before looking at the answer (experiential learning).
6. Reflection - a combination of retrieval practice and elaboration that adds layers to learning new material. Ask your self questions.
7. Calibration - to avoid various cognitive illusions, use an objective instrument to adjust your sense of what you know and don't know.
8. Mnemonic devices - build memory palaces to help yourself retrieve what you have learned.

I should go back and read the rest.

Goodreads says:

To most of us, learning something "the hard way" implies wasted time and effort. Good teaching, we believe, should be creatively tailored to the different learning styles of students and should use strategies that make learning easier. Make It Stick turns fashionable ideas like these on their head. Drawing on recent discoveries in cognitive psychology and other disciplines, the authors offer concrete techniques for becoming more productive learners.

Memory plays a central role in our ability to carry out complex cognitive tasks, such as applying knowledge to problems never before encountered and drawing inferences from facts already known. New insights into how memory is encoded, consolidated, and later retrieved have led to a better understanding of how we learn. Grappling with the impediments that make learning challenging leads both to more complex mastery and better retention of what was learned.

Many common study habits and practice routines turn out to be counterproductive. Underlining and highlighting, rereading, cramming, and single-minded repetition of new skills create the illusion of mastery, but gains fade quickly. More complex and durable learning come from self-testing, introducing certain difficulties in practice, waiting to re-study new material until a little forgetting has set in, and interleaving the practice of one skill or topic with another. Speaking most urgently to students, teachers, trainers, and athletes, Make It Stick will appeal to all those interested in the challenge of lifelong learning and self-improvement.

Essentialism: The Discipled Pursuit of Less (Greg McKeown)

 

I listened to an interview with this author on Leading Saints. He is a member of my church and the topic speaks to me so clearly, I had to read the book. He's all about figuring out what is most important and focusing on that. That is something I do each month when I set my goals. It takes some work to figure out what is the most important thing I should focus on right now. This book was a great tool. It isn't a "church book" at all. I did enjoy the quotes interspersed throughout it though that were from well known church authorities. 

Goodreads says:

Have you ever found yourself stretched too thin?
Do you simultaneously feel overworked and underutilized?
Are you often busy but not productive?
 Do you feel like your time is constantly being hijacked by other people’s agendas?

If you answered yes to any of these, the way out is the Way of the EssentialistThe Way of the Essentialist isn’t about getting more done in less time. It’s about getting only the right things done.  It is not  a time management strategy, or a productivity technique. It is a systematic discipline for discerning what is absolutely essential, then eliminating everything that is not, so we can make the highest possible contribution towards the things that really matter. 

By forcing us to apply a more selective criteria for what is Essential, the disciplined pursuit of less empowers us to reclaim control of our own choices about where to spend our precious time and energy – instead of giving others the implicit permission to choose for us.

Essentialism is not one more thing – it’s a whole new way of doing everything. A must-read for any leader, manager, or individual who wants to learn who to do less, but better, in every area of their lives, Essentialism  is a movement whose time has come.