The Littlest Leprechaun by Brandi Dougherty is a sweet story to read around St. Patrick's Day. Liam is the littlest leprechaun in the Enchanted Forest. He wants to have an important job in the village like everyone else. After trying out several different jobs, he finds he is too little to measure, too little to run, and too little to lift and carry important treasure. But in the end, Liam learns that he isn't too little to make a friend. Here are a few activities you can use with The Littlest Leprechaun in your ... read more
Growth Mindset Books for Kids
We want our students to be determined and hard-working individuals who persevere when things get more challenging. When a student has a growth mindset, he believes he can improve with hard work and effort. When a student has a fixed mindset, he sets limits on his abilities and will not take on new challenges because he fears he might fail. So how do we get our students to shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset? One way to do this is with engaging read alouds. Here are some of my favorite growth mindset books for kids to help start a ... read more
Your Happy Heart by Amie Dean
Your Happy Heart by Amie Dean is a story about how helping others helps you, too. This story follows Javon as he joins the Book Buddy program in his school and meets his partner, Richard. When the partnership gets off to a rocky start, Javon reflects on his own past and the tools he was taught to deal with his own anger and sadness. As Javon pours his heart into helping Richard, he learns the most important lesson of all: that helping someone else find their happiness can make your own heart happy, too. I want to share more about this book ... read more
Kindness Books for Kids
As teachers, we want our students to be kind to others. Books can help us send the message that kindness is important and something we value. Through these books, we can show students how to see the good in others, how to be there for other people, how to help others feel included, how to be kind even when it is hard, and how spreading kindness can come back around. These are some of my favorite kindness books for kids. You can click on any of the covers below to learn more about each book. we are a participant in the amazon ... read more
Choosing Books for Reading Groups
Choosing the right book for your reading group can be overwhelming - especially when it can be a determining factor in the engagement and success of your group. Here are 10 things I take into consideration when choosing books for reading groups. Reading Level A student's instructional reading level is a place to start when choosing books for your reading groups. But students are more than just a reading level. You can select books that are just below, right at, or even just above that reading level. Instructional ... read more
Wordless Picture Books for Kids
Wordless picture books are not just for your non-readers. In fact, they can sometimes be more difficult because they require a reader to dig deeper and use higher level thinking skills. Wordless picture books allow opportunities to observe, ask questions, make inferences, draw conclusions, and more! Here are some of my favorite wordless picture books for kids. You can click on any of the covers below to learn more about each book. we are a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program ... read more
A Crankenstein Valentine
If you loved reading Crankenstein, you'll be happy to know he's back in A Crankenstein Valentine! Here are some activities you can pair with this story. All About A Crankenstein Valentine Cheesy cards, allergy-inducing bouquets, and heart-shaped everything? YECHHHH! It's enough to turn anyone into a monster! An ordinary kid becomes Crankenstein on the most lovey-dovey, yuckiest day of the year: Valentine's Day. Can Crankenstin find a way to turn his sour day sweet? Can a monster find a little love in his heart? If you don't have a ... read more
Snow Books for Kids
Even if the snow doesn't fall over your town this year, you can bring the snow to life with some great snow books for kids. Here are some books about snow that are sure to warm the hearts of your students all winter long. You can click on any of the covers below to learn more about each book. we are a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites. Snow by Cynthia Rylant Cynthia ... read more
Snowzilla
January is my favorite month to read books about snowmen, and Snowzilla by Janet Lawler is one of my favorites! Here are some activities to pair with the story along with a winter kid craft that your students will enjoy! Snowzilla Cami Lou and her brother build the biggest, hugest, most mammoth snowman the world has ever seen. It’s Snowzilla! The snowman becomes an instant sensation, and tourists pour into the small town. But not everyone is impressed. Some say the giant snowman brings giant problems. Then a judge rules that ... read more
Penguin Books for Kids
January may not bring Antarctic temperatures your way, but that shouldn't stop you from reading about penguins. Here are some of my favorite penguin books for kids. I have included some great nonfiction choices along with some fun fictional characters, too! Throughout this post I have included links to each penguin book. You can click on book covers to learn more about them. we are a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to ... read more
