Whale in a Fish Bowl (Troy Howell)

 

Sometimes my class amazes me. When this story ended, there was quiet for a moment. Then one girl said, "That's kind of sad, really." They thought it was sad that she only knew her fish bowl and had no idea until she had escaped where she really belonged and how happy she'd be. My class also hoped she found a mate. 

And we LOVED the big fold out page that showed how high Wednesday had leaped when she finally escaped.

I love books that make kids think! We had a good discussion about zoos and other animals in captivity.

Goodreads says:

A moving, poetic story about a whale in captivity who longs for the ocean . . . because whales don’t belong in fishbowls, do they?

Wednesday is a whale who lives in a fishbowl smack dab in the middle of a city–it’s the only home she’s ever known. Cars whizz around her and people hurry past; even the sun and moon circle above. But if she leaps high enough out of her bowl, Wednesday can see it: a calm bit of blue off in the distance. When a girl in a paisley dress tells Wednesday “You belong in the sea,” the whale starts to wonder, what is the sea? Readers will cheer–and get all choked up– when, one day, Wednesday leaps higher than ever before and sets in motion a breathtaking chain of events that will carry her to her rightful home. Touching, and ultimately uplifting, here is a story about a lonely creature longing to be free–and longing to find someone just like her. 

Creature Choir (David Walliams)

 

We got a little silly with everyone making all the sounds the animals make. After, we brainstormed the lessons from it....and there were a multitude. David Walliams isn't just for silliness, after all!

Goodreads says:

Sing your heart out with a whole choir of characters, in the showstopping new picture book from number one bestselling author David Walliams, illustrated by the artistic genius, Tony Ross!


There’s more than one star of the show… In fact, there’s a whole choir of them!


Warble the walrus LOVES to sing.


Unfortunately, she is not very good at it! And when her atrocious warbling causes an avalanche, the other walruses leave her all alone.


But when you SING like no-one is listening, SOMETIMES, they start to hear you…


The perfect story for anyone who loves to laugh or sing, this brand-new story from David Walliams is a delightfully wonderful warble about doing what makes you HAPPY, and being LOUD about it! 

John Henry - An American Legend (Ezra Jack Keats)

 

This one surprised us because he dies in the story! Died of working so hard!! Everyone was very captivated by the story, however. Quite a book for Ezra Jack Keats. His website says:

Long before multicultural characters and themes were fashionable, Ezra Jack Keats crossed social boundaries by being the first American picture-book maker to give the black child a central place in children’s literature.

In the books that Keats wrote and illustrated, he used his special artistic techniques to portray his subjects in a unique manner. One of these was his blending of gouache with collage. Gouache is an opaque watercolor mixed with a gum that produces an oil-like glaze.

The characters in Keats’ books come from the community around him. Many of his stories illustrate family life, the simple pleasures and more complex problems, that a child often encounters in his daily routine. To create his books, Keats drew upon his own childhood experiences, from having to flee from bullies to taking a ribbing from his pals for liking girls. But these are also the experiences of almost all children growing up in neighborhoods and communities in many parts of the world. This commonality explains the continuing popularity of Keats’ books and characters.

By the time of Keats’ death following a heart attack in 1983, Keats had illustrated over eighty-five books for children, and written and illustrated twenty-four children’s classics.

Goodreads says:

Illus. in full color. The Caldecott Medalist's powerful classic is now reissued in a handsome paperback edition, as well as a library edition. 

(Goodreads doesn't say a lot!)

Kaleidoscope (Brian Selznick)

 

Brian Selznick is one of my favorite authors. This one just didn't do it for me. It was just too weird. Too random. I tried hard to find connections....but I just didn't get it. He wrote it during the pandemic and perhaps it is a little like all of our pandemic experiences...common threads with many different turns of the kaleidoscope. However, I'm not sure what this book is supposed to do. We read it for our Children's Lit book club and I went with hopes that those smarter than me at finding the meaning would bring some great revelation about the book. Alas, we all kind of felt the same about it. Breaks my heart, but I can't really recommend this one. The illustrations are beautiful though!

Goodreads says:

A ship. A garden. A library. A key. In Kaleidoscope, the incomparable Brian Selznick presents the story of two people bound to each other through time and space, memory and dreams. At the center of their relationship is a mystery about the nature of grief and love which will look different to each reader

Boogie Bear (David Walliams)

 

This one got lots of chuckles! It was a great way to start a discussion for Pink Shirt Day. Often, we get to know someone and find out that there is MUCH that we have in common and much to appreciate about each other. This one brings you to that topic with a good laugh along the way. We love David Walliams!

Goodreads says:

From Number One bestselling author David Walliams comes a hilarious and heartwarming picture book, brilliantly illustrated by the artistic genius, Tony Ross.

(This ebook is optimised for Kindle tablets and the Kindle App. It is not suitable for e-Ink kindle devices, such as the PaperWhite. We recommend you download a sample to your device before purchase if in doubt.)

Up at the North Pole, a big furry polar bear is swimming, fishing and eating. But when she nods off and finds herself far from home, she thinks things can’t get any worse.

But they can…

Much worse!

An outrageously funny picture book with an incredibly heartwarming message about celebrating difference – in all its forms.

Self-Compassion for Educators (Lisa Baylis)

 

 

I didn't read this book entirely, but skipped around here and there. I got it from the library but this is one I will buy to read again. It would be a good book to read as part of a PGP or with other teachers. I also think it'd be a good thing to read in August when preparing for the year. It is really thorough and has lots of ideas for questions to ask yourself, check lists and self-analysis.

Good things I found:

The Mind Needs an Anchor

Intro (p. xxix) In his book, The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion Chris Germer shares that most of our mental suffering arises when our mind jumps around from one subject to another. When we notice our mind is behaving this way, we give it an anchor - a place to go that's neutral and unwavingering - by focusing on our breath, our body, or the sounds around us.

Relationships

p. 5 Therefore, the single biggest thing we can do right now in our classrooms is to increase the positive interactions we have with our students and build relationships with them. If we are present, aware and well, then we can build these relationships from an authentic and positive place.

Mindfulness

Practicing self-compassion in this situation allowed me to be more mindful - or more aware - of my thoughts, feelings, and emotions. At its core, mindfulness is a means of nonjudgmentally paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment (Kabat-Zimm, 1994).

Interesting scales to check out:

If you have ever wondered how your job is affecting you, the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) is the most commonly used measure to assess the effects (both positive and negative) or working in a helping profession. The ProQOL has subscale for compassion satisfaction, burnout, and compassion fatigue. I invite you to try this scale for yourself and see where you fit in regard to work-life satisfaction and compassion fatigue: https://proqol.org/ProQol_Test.html

p. 74 https://self-compassion.org/test-how-sef-compassionate-you-are

p. 75 re: Self-compassion: Self-compassion helps us stay healthy. Self-compassion can lead to better immune functioning because it helps people stay motivated to exercise, quit smoking, and maintain healthy diets.

p. 103 Many ways of well-being:

• physical 
• intellectual 
• emotional
• social
• financial
• environmental
• spiritual

Once Upon a Goat (Dan Richards)

 

We loved the surprise when the Queen and King had a child and it turned out to be a goat. We laughed out loud. 

Goodreads says:

A twisted fairy tale about a king and queen who wish for a child of their own…and end up with a baby goat.

Once upon a time, a very prim and proper king and queen begged their fairy godmother for a child. They’d prefer a boy, with glowing skin, bright eyes, and two roses for lips…but any kid will do. When they find themselves gifted with a baby goat (also known as a kid) instead, they can’t imagine how he’ll fit into their lives.

The Knight Who Took All Day

 

This was hilarious. My students really got a chuckle out of the foolish knight who was more concerned about how he looked than getting to work. Many told me they would never be like that. I had to chuckle when I said, "I know....you're always one to get straight to work!" 

*Found in our school library

Goodreads says:

There once was a knight who THOUGHT he was brave and fearless and handsome...and a princess who discovered she didn't need rescuing.

A dashing knight decides it's time to impress the golden-haired princess. All he needs is a dragon to show off his marvelous talents. One day, a huge dragon appears on the horizon, smoke pouring from his nostrils. Immediately, the knight orders his squire to fetch his armor. But will he get dressed in time--or is this knight more interested in appearances than action? After much waiting, the golden-haired princess decides to tame that fire-breathing beast herself!