Last year I wrote a blog post entitled "Rethinking and Rewriting Princess Stories" which included some of my thoughts about princess culture. I was pregnant with my daughter when I wrote it. Nearly one year has passed since I wrote that blog post and I've done lots of thinking about princesses and what it means… Continue reading Every-Day Dress-Up + A Giveaway
Category: Read Aloud
Stories are essential to our lives.
Yesterday afternoon I attended the Elementary Section Get-Together at the Chicago Hilton. The get-togethers are always fun to attend since they provide me with the opportunity to catch up with people like Karen Caine, Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, and Franki Sibberson who I only get to see in-person at NCTE. In addition, attending the get-together gives… Continue reading Stories are essential to our lives.
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An Interview with Leslie Patricelli + Giveaways
About a month or two after my daughter was born, I posted several status updates on my Facebook page complaining about the quality of the board books we had. They were too short, with few if any words, and didn’t hold my attention. I know board books serve a legitimate purpose in a baby’s literacy… Continue reading An Interview with Leslie Patricelli + Giveaways
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GUEST BLOG POST: Savor a Book: Reading like a Writer
Edited by Ruth: Pssst...today is Mary Helen's birthday! Won't you join me in leaving comments on her blog post about one of her very favorite books? Mary Helen Gensch is currently a literacy coach and Title I interventionist for Pierceton Elementary School in Indiana. Her journey as a writing coach began with the AllWrite!!! Consortium… Continue reading GUEST BLOG POST: Savor a Book: Reading like a Writer
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President Obama’s Book + the Final Giveaway of 2010
Last month President Barack Obama published a picture book, of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters, which is illustrated exquisitely by Loren Long. I received a review copy of it while I was at NCTE. Since my husband was with me, I shared the book with him. We were both impressed by the… Continue reading President Obama’s Book + the Final Giveaway of 2010
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Baseball & Two December Holidays
Family. Friendship. Generosity. The great American pastime. Interracial and interfaith friendships. All of these topics are woven together artfully by Sharon Robinson in a new book, Jackie's Gift. This is a true story about Sharon Robinson's father, the great baseball player Jackie Robinson, and her family's first Christmas in Brooklyn, NY. The Satlows are a… Continue reading Baseball & Two December Holidays
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Bilingual Christmas Story + A Giveaway
I've been looking for a good story about Christmas to share for quite a few weeks. Most of the books I've received were either too religious for use in public school classrooms or didn't seem like they'd inspire students. But then, I received a review copy of Xavier Garza's Charro Claus and the Tejas Kid… Continue reading Bilingual Christmas Story + A Giveaway
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Needs vs. Wants + 2 Book Giveaways
Every morning I receive an e-mail from Zulily.com, which entices me with products for my baby, who is supposed to arrive early next month. Zulily always has fantastic merchandise (e.g., clothes, toys, accessories) at a discount price daily. I want to buy nearly everything I see. However, I realize that I don't need most of… Continue reading Needs vs. Wants + 2 Book Giveaways
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A Story About Adoption + A Book Giveaway
Sweet Moon Baby: An Adoption Tale, which is written by Karen Henry Clark and illustrated by Patrice Barton, was released last month. When I received my review copy, from Knopf Delacorte Dell Young Readers Group, I began reading it and felt tears well-up in my eyes. The lump in my throat stayed throughout the entire… Continue reading A Story About Adoption + A Book Giveaway
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Say Hello + Giveaway: Bullying Series
The message in Say Hello, which is written by Jack and Michael Foreman, is so simple. The message to young readers is that you should reach out to a person, who looks lonely or excluded, and extend a welcome by saying hello. Everyone needs and is deserving of friends and this book reminds us of… Continue reading Say Hello + Giveaway: Bullying Series
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Ugly Fish + Giveaway: Bullying Series
We've all dealt with people who subscribe to the philosophy of "what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine." In fact, most of us have taught those children at least once (Let's be real, MANY TIMES!) in our teaching careers. Additionally, we've all worked with students who taunt others just to get a rise… Continue reading Ugly Fish + Giveaway: Bullying Series
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Goal + Giveaway: Bullying Series
Games bring people together. Soccer is no different. Goal, which is written by Mina Javaherbin and illustrated by A.G. Ford, is a story about a group of South African boys who come together to enjoy a pick-up game of soccer despite a group of bullies who try to steal their brand-new, federation-size soccer ball. Readers… Continue reading Goal + Giveaway: Bullying Series
