Author: araujoj

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Loving Hair Love!

This week in of our classrooms we have been reading Hair Love written by Matthew A. Cherry and illustrated by Vashti Harrison.  The students really enjoyed this funny, heartfelt story of a African-American father learning how to do his daughter’s hair for a “special day”.  Hair Love is also an Academy Award winning film!  In this case, the movie came first and then the book.  Students watched the movie, too, and were asked to look for and think about the similarities and differences.  Hair Love is a great book and movie to share with our kids now to celebrate family, love and diversity.

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Johnny’s Pheasant

Did you know that June is National Indigenous History Month?  This week at school I shared a new book, Johnny’s Pheasant, with many classes.  It was written by Cheryl Minnema who is a member of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and and illustrated by Julie Flett who is a Cree-Metis author, illustrator and artist.  Julie Flett is one of my favourite author/illustrators and we read her book, Birdsong, earlier in the year as part of our Canadian Picture Book of the Year read alouds.

Students we excited to read Johnny’s Pheasant and made lots of connections to our previous read aloud of Birdsong.  They loved the beauty of both the words and illustrations.  I’m sure Johnny’s Pheasant will be on everyone’s wishlist for check out in September.

 

In January 2020, Cheryl Minnema received the Charlotte Zolotow Award for Johnny’s Pheasant.  The award is given annually to the author of the best picture book text published in the United States in the preceding year.

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Episode 9: You Hold Me Up

It has been been a challenge for us to be away from family, friends and school for the last several weeks.  However, the students, staff and families of South Slope/BCSD have made me feel so loved and supported in this difficult time.  I was thinking about the wonderful emails, comments on the blog and phone calls I’ve received.  The video meetings I’ve been a part of have been so fun and made me feel connected to you.  Thinking about this inspired me to choose You Hold Me Up, written by Monique Gray Smith and illustrated by Danielle Daniel, as this week’s read aloud.

We read this book at the beginning of the school year to learn more about reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and we responded to it by thinking of ways we can support and hold each other up in the school community.

I hope you enjoy this story which includes ASL interpretation.  Click on the book cover to watch the video.  Ask your teacher for the password.

Thank you to Orca Book Publishers and the Read Aloud Canadian Books Program for permission to record this video.

 

Watch the story again as the author reads the book to a group of children:

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New book from JK Rowling: The Ickabog

Exciting news, everyone! JK Rowling has released a new story online called The Ickabog.  She will publish it online and release a  chapter or more starting today and then for seven more weeks. It was written as a read aloud story but is suitable for 7-9 year olds to read on their own. Of course, there is no age limit on great stories.  I’m looking forward to this new adventure and I hope you all enjoy it, too.

Visit the site to read the book and enter the illustration competition.

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Read Aloud: Count on Me

What is your passion? Music? Art? Science? Soccer? In my latest read aloud we learn about a character who sees the beauty of the world through math.  I  hope you enjoy Count on Me by Miguel Tanco.  Click on the book to view.  Ask your teacher for the password.  This video includes ASL interpretation.

What math can you find in the world around you?

What are you passionate about?

For more math check out Which one Doesn’t belong: a website dedicated to providing thought-provoking puzzles. There are no answers provided as there are many different, correct ways of choosing which one doesn’t belong. Enjoy!

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Episode 7: Bear Came Along

This week’s book, Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris and illustrated by LeUyen Pham, is quickly becoming one of my new favourites. I made many connections from the story to the difficult times we are going through right now.  Together, we can get down this “river” using all of our unique talents.  This book was also awarded a Caldecott Honor in January 2020.

Click on the book to view my read aloud of this book with ASL interpretation.  Ask your teacher for the password.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can also listen an interview with the illustrator LeUyen Pham:


And watch the story again with Bill from the publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Closed captioning is available.