Category: Picture Books

Thank you to Nicole Wilson,  for sharing this great lesson based on one of my favourite picture books, “Whimsy’s Heavy Things”.

Listen to the read aloud here:

Click here

Students are invited to create worry dolls.  The steps are here:

click here

Thank you Nicole!

Thank you to Vancouver Kidsbooks for creating such a thoughtful collection of books.

On Instagram, they wrote, “as booksellers, we are responsible for championing the books outside of the mainstream of publishing and find the #ownvoices books that are often stifled”.

Thank you to Stephanie Good, Teacher Librarian at Stoney Creek Community School and the DLRC,  for creating this beautiful poster.  It includes book suggestions in honor of Pride Month.

If you are looking for visually appealing, informative text to help students explore and become familiar with diverse Canadian Celebrations, you might be interested in this series of books currently available from Saunders Book Company.

The books:

• provide good examples of text features
• may be useful in guided reading / small group instruction contexts for Grade 1 and 2 students
• may be used as companion texts to support lower readers in other grades
• can be a helpful tool to develop understandings with English Language Learners
• provide opportunities to integrate understandings about SOGI (Pride Festivals, Anti-Bullying Days), and Indigenous Education (National Indigenous Peoples Day), and include diverse celebrations (Ramadan and Eid al –Fitr, Holi, Chinese New Year) and well as holidays often already celebrated within school calendars (Thanksgiving, Halloween, Remembrance Day, Christmas).

If you are interested in viewing or ordering these books, please contact Bryan Gidinski.

Bryan.Gidinski@burnabyschools.ca

Thank you to Bryan Gidinski, District SOGI Support Teacher, for creating this fantastic SOGI booklist!

Click here

I love Donalyn Miller’s books.  She also has a great blog.  Here’s an article from a few years ago that’s worth a re-read:

Book Challenge Revisited

Click here to read Pernille Ripp’s article about kids self selecting books.

Thank you to the teachers who are participating in our “Mindset for Learning”  Book Club.  Last night was our first session.  We had great discussions, and everyone shared wonderful ideas, that inspired so many people.     Click here for Growth Mindset Book List

Check out these great lists of chapter books and picture books from Heart-Mind Online!

Heart-Mind Online Picture Book List

Heart Mind Online Chapter Book List

The conversation has come up a lot lately about how books expose children to a lot of emotions, from fear, to jealousy, to joy, to anger.  Never has children’s literature and young adult fiction been better, but it’s left many of us wondering if some of our students are losing a part of their innocence through some of the books they are reading.  It has left us asking if this is okay.  Matt de la Pena wrote a beautiful article below, and Kate DiCamilo responded.  Both articles brought tears to my eyes, and I encourage you to read them both – with kleenex.

Why We Shouldn’t Shield Children From Darkness

Kate DiCamillo’s response