Originally posted on picture books blogger:
A highly observant and witty tale which follows a bad mood as it moves from person to person, wreaking havoc but also leaving a trail of unexpected emotions in its wake. All the while, the treacherous fate of a solitary stick seems to determine the next victim of the…
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Time Travel Thru Outer Space with Timothy Young (plus a giveaway!)
Originally posted on Writing for Kids (While Raising Them):
by Timothy Young In my new book I’M GOING TO OUTER SPACE! I tell the story of a boy named Luis who tells us all about the exciting things he wants to do and see when he gets to outer space. I was inspired to write…
Using Music to Stimulate Children’s Writing
In 1979 I remember sitting in the front of the tent at summer camp, with the music of Boston blaring from the radio. Since their songs endure today, I have been pondering how to use such creative motivations from my youth to help stimulate creative writing in my classroom. In recent discussions with professional development…
Come see and hear Nugget and Fang
NUGGET & FANG are singing their way to a theater near you! Don’t miss the musical inspired by this beloved deep-sea duo. Information and dates available here. Everyone knows that minnows and sharks can’t be friends! In Nugget and Fang: Friends Forever–or Snack Time? by Tammi Sauer and Michael Slack, Can Nugget and Fang be…
A stunning portrayal of the circuitous path of trauma and healing
“Complex and well-rounded characters. Authentic.” — The Horn Book From rising new talent Caela Carter, author of My Life with the Liars, comes an achingly beautiful and endearing story about two foster children who want desperately to believe that they’ve found their forever home: Forever, or a Long, Long Time by Caela Carter. Perfect for fans of…
Henry Huggins is a Timeless Classic
In the first novel from Newbery Medal–winning author Beverly Cleary, Henry Huggins (Henry Huggins series Book 1), boys and girls alike will be charmed instantly by an average boy whose life is turned upside down when he meets a lovable puppy with a nose for mischief. This timeless classic now features a foreword written by New…
Why Understanding Student Trauma is More Important Than Teaching “Grit”
I was reminded of this conversation during a recent presentation by Tyrone C. Howard on how student culture affects learning. Howard, the associate dean for equity and inclusion at UCLA, provided a reality check to the heavy investment in skills such as grit that might help more students succeed. … writes Aisha Sultan in the…
Jon Scieszka’s Rhythmic, Rollicking Trucktown Will Get Kids’ Motors Running
Welcome to Jon Scieszka’s Trucktown! This preschool and kindergarten series will come in more shapes, sizes, and formats than you can shake a bumper at. It’s a world where all the characters are trucks, all the stories are action driven, and boys and girls can imagine themselves in all their crazy, loud, funny, creative, excited, full-throttle…
Deepening Connections with Young Readers Online
by Michael Strickland Deepening my connection with students and creating community is a topic to which I give a lot of thought. Unlike face-to-face classrooms, online classrooms have greater potential to feel cold mechanical. That is why I spend Initiating and encouraging discussions. I make frequent use of the chatbox to encourage participation, much like…
Huck Finn, Racist Language, and Teaching
First published in 1884 and still an intellectual adventure, relevant to kids today … “That is just the way with some people. They get down on a thing when they don’t know nothing about it.” ― Mark Twain, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Mark Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is the story of a free-thinking kid,…
Young People's Pavilion 