Only One You (Linda Kranz)

I love this book for so many reasons. The painted rocks are darling. The words of wisdom are great starters for a discussion. I think there could be great ways to use this in a grade 3 classroom.


Goodreads says:

There's only one you in this great big world. Make it a better place. Adri's mama and papa share some of the wisdom they have gained through the years with their eager son. Their words, simple and powerful, are meant to comfort and guide him as he goes about exploring the world. This exquisitely illustrated book explodes with color and honest insights. Kranz's uniquely painted "rockfish," set against vibrant blue seas, make an unforgettable and truly special impression. Only One You will inspire parents and children of all ages as they swim through the sea of life. 

It's Monday, What Are You Reading

It's time for me to start on my book club book for October: The Perfect Nanny. Looks kind of terrifying, actually. Nanny gone wrong. I'm sure it will be a page-turner!

When We Were Alone (David A Robertson)

This is an interesting story. I plan to read it because today is Orange Shirt Day. I hope it will be a gentle enough introduction to the atrocities of Residential Schools.

Interestingly, the very concept behind Orange Shirt Day (not allowing the child to wear her orange shirt and instead wear something so that everyone looked the same) is one of the concepts behind our charter school's uniforms. I wonder if any students will make that connection.

I think we all have things from our childhood that didn't sit well. My family were big TV watchers. The TV was always on. Now I can't stand that and in my house we only have the TV on now and then. I'm not sure if that's necessarily better, but it's something that affected my experience growing up, for sure. I can't imagine having experienced what the First Nations people did with residential schools. It is a sad mark on our history. The author of this book does a great job showing how this experience affected every aspect of their lives.


Goodreads says:
When a young girl helps tend to her grandmother's garden, she begins to notice things that make her curious. Why does her grandmother have long braided hair and beautifully colored clothing? Why does she speak another language and spend so much time with her family? As she asks her grandmother about these things, she is told about life in a residential school a long time ago, where all of these things were taken away. When We Were Alone is a story about a difficult time in history and, ultimately, one of empowerment and strength.

How To Read A Book (Kwame Alexander)

This book is beautiful! I loved the imagery it creates and the beauty linked to the process of reading a book. It's one I appreciated a little more than my students - but maybe if they read it a few times it will start to sink in. His metaphor for reading is that it is like peeling and eating a clementine. Beautiful! The illustrations are compelling. They force you to sit with each page for a moment to take it all in.

Goodreads says:

A stunning new picture book from Newbery Medalist Kwame Alexander and Caldecott Honoree Melissa Sweet! This New York Times bestselling duo has teamed up for the first time to bring you How to Read a Book, a poetic and beautiful journey about the experience of reading.

Find a tree—a

black tupelo or

dawn redwood will do—and

plant yourself.

(It’s okay if you prefer a stoop, like Langston Hughes.)

With these words, an adventure begins. Kwame Alexander’s evocative poetry and Melissa Sweet’s lush artwork come together to take readers on a sensory journey between the pages of a book.

The Day You Begin (Jacqueline Woodson)

Everyone has felt like the character in this story - like no one appreciates the special-ness about them. Like they just don't fit in. Like everyone else is doing something that they just never get to and likely never will. However, when you find the courage to be yourself you find you can connect with others and that others just may be feeling the very same thing.

Goodreads says:

National Book Award winner Jacqueline Woodson and two-time Pura Belpre Illustrator Award winner Rafael Lopez have teamed up to create a poignant, yet heartening book about finding courage to connect, even when you feel scared and alone.

There will be times when you walk into a room
and no one there is quite like you.

There are many reasons to feel different. Maybe it's how you look or talk, or where you're from; maybe it's what you eat, or something just as random. It's not easy to take those first steps into a place where nobody really knows you yet, but somehow you do it.

Jacqueline Woodson's lyrical text and Rafael Lopez's dazzling art reminds us that we all feel like outsiders sometimes-and how brave it is that we go forth anyway. And that sometimes, when we reach out and begin to share our stories, others will be happy to meet us halfway.

Jacqueline Woodson is the 2018-2019 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. 

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

Book clubs are school are in full swing and so I have two books to finish this week:

I haven't read Restart by Gordon Korman yet, but it looks like it will have a lot of interesting things to discuss! I'm quite looking forward to it. It is the first book we're reading for Grade 4 Battle of the Books.

Shiloh is an old Grade 3 Book Club favorite. I LOVE this book. I hope the kids this year love it too.

First, however, I've got to finish Land of Stories. Almost there! I'm quite enjoying it. I've just had a few interruptions.

The Stranger (Chris Van Allsburg)

We are in love with Chris Van Allsburg books in my class. This one is a great mystery. Who is this stranger? When I first read it, I had no idea that he was Jack Frost. There are a number of clues all through it though.  I found a great guide from Houghton Mifflin to help with a lesson on inferencing as well. We will do the work in our Reading Notebooks.We read it again and students wrote down the clues they noticed. At lunch time I showed them a video of Jack Frost. We'll see if anyone makes the connection. So far they say he is a "winter fairy". Close!


Goodreads says:

The enigmatic origins of the stranger that Farmer Bailey hits with his truck and brings home to recuperate seem to have a mysterious relation to the weather. Could he be Jack Frost?

Jumanji (Chris Van Allsburg)

One things leads to another with stories. This week we read How To Walk an Ant, which reminded some of us of Two Bad Ants, so we had to read that. Once I start reading Chris Van Allsburg, I just can't get enough so today we read Jumanji.

Some kids had seen a Jumanji movie, but not too many. It was a thrill to read this to my class. They gasped at just the right places. It was tense and exciting to watch the story unfold. In the end, everyone gave out a big sigh of relief when the game was finally over....then, those boys! Oh those boys! We hope they learn to follow instructions.

We will definitely read some more Chris Van Allsburg books!

Goodreads says:

Left on their own for an afternoon, two bored and restless children find more excitement than they bargained for in a mysterious and mystical jungle-adventure board game. "Mr. Van Allsburg's illustrations have a beautiful simplicity of de-sign, balance, texture, and a subtle intelligence beyond the call of illustration." -- New York Times Book Review

How to Walk an Ant (Cindy Derby)

We laughed a lot at this one. Funny story about doing the seeming impossible, walking ants!

When we were reading this, I said that it reminded me of a story called Two Bad Ants. One of the students said he owns that book so he will bring it and we will read it tomorrow. Yea! Text to text connections!

Goodreads says:

There are nine steps to becoming an ant walker, and Amariyah, the expert ant walker, is here to show you how it’s done.


This irreverent and quirky picture book follows a young girl as she goes through the process of walking ants, from polite introductions to tragic leash entanglements.


In the end, this unique book shows that as long as you’re doing what you’re best at, you may find a like-minded friend to tag along.

*Zero ants were harmed in the making of this book.
**Oops, 7 ants were harmed in the making of this book. 

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

I'm having that dilemma. My book club book is due and there are 10 holds on it. Do I keep it and just pay the fines, or return it and hope I get it again before book club?? Argh! Stay tuned! My book club book I'm reading this week Kindred by Octavia Butler:

I've only read the first chapter, but I'm hooked. It seems like a great one! There's time travel involved, it seems. Not sure if I'd call it science fiction or historical fiction. Time will tell!

Also, one of my students gave me The Land of Stories to read and I'm finally deep into it. I'm loving it!

I also got this book from an inter-library loan. I learned about The Great Brain series and thought it might be fun to do as a family book club. I'm reading this one to find out if it would work well for something like that. I don't know if you have to read the first one to enjoy the rest. I could only find it at the library in Hill Spring, AB so my great librarian friends got it for me from there.