#MustHaveRecs

Don't you just love this time of year? "Best of" lists are everywhere!  Readers are celebrating what makes their "must- have" recs. People are gearing up for ALA & Mock Caldecotts are happening in classrooms all around us. When we share our favorites, we are spreading the gift of reading, and that is a win-win for all! 

Everyone who knows me, knows I am passionate about picture books.  I believe they are priceless and ageless. So my first list contains a few favorite titles I have used working with students and lead learners in K-8 classrooms. They are texts that support mini lessons for reading, writing and learning with the CommonCARE standards in mind. 

In the Fall, Chris Lehman and I kicked off The Educator Collaborative's Study Series with a session on Little Practices to Bring Energy and Joy to Your Learning Community.  Books bring us joy every day.  So first up, Jo Witek's latest, All My Treasures: A Book of Joy.  It celebrates the intangible nature of joy and serves as a great mentor text to get writers thinking about what brings them joy.  

If you read any number of best of book lists, the selections may vary but one thing remains the same, picture books can be powerful co-teachers.  Just as Mem Fox had Wilfrid Gordon Macdonald Partridge exploring what makes a memory, Micha Archer's Daniel celebrates the endless of possibilities of poetry. This book teaches readers to find beauty and poetry in words, in nature, and all over our world. 

Award- winning author, Sara O'Leary has teamed up with illustrator Qin Ling to explore the unique and special ways that families are all different - yet all the same.  What a wonderful book to explore theme, central message, build commUNITY and empathy.  A win for all ages! 

 Andrew Larsen and Mike Lowery have given us a great new addition to add to our launch unit of studies. Love its  message :"You are the boss of your own story."

When you believe anything is possible... anything is possible.  This fun "fable-ish" story from Gemma Merino celebrates individuality, creativity and risk taking.  Perfect text to add to our collection of growth mindset texts.

With the next two selections, I found a new mentor author to love.  In Excellent Ed, Stacy McAnulty teams up with Julia Sarcone-Roach. We meet Ed, an adorable dog from the Ellis family. This book has alliteration, word play and a heart felt message. Share to reflect on ways we can all strive to be the very best we can be.  Great for goal setting conversations too.

Another gift from Stacy McAnulty (with Joanne Lew-Vriethoff) is a book that is Beautiful!  Empower others and find beauty in each and every one of us. LOVE the illustrations and word play. Lots to unpack and explore. 

J.J. Austian and Mike Curato created  Worm Loves Worm.  A beautiful book with a big message about equality, inclusion and love.

Quit Calling Me a Monster was written by Jory John and illustrated by Bob Shea.  This talented duo of kid lit rockstars  come together again to teach a big lesson with a powerful punch!

Christopher Silas Neal brings us a picture book about feelings. It is a wonderful examination of emotions, universal feelings and empathy in action. 

Sergio Ruzzier has managed to capture the power of a picture book with his playful title It's Not a Picture Book. It is a celebration of reading, writing and thinking through pictures and words! Fun, fun, fun!

Another book that celebrates the gift of reading is The Highest Mountain of Books in the World, by Rocio Bonilla.  Great message about how books can take you anywhere. "You don't need wings to fly..." 

Dan Yaccarino's latest has readers reflecting on the power of story.  I recommend  this "must-have" for launching reading and writing workshop as well. Great reminder to take the time to share stories and build relationships getting to know our community of learners. 

Brendan Wenzel's simple picture book is beyond brilliant. Cannot say enough about how much I love this book.  Layers and layers of possibilities for teaching empathy, understanding, perspective, inferences about literacy and life lessons!

Quite honestly, Peter Reynolds makes every must-have list I write and his latest heartprintbook is no exception.  A wonderful text to explore how learning matters most when it involves something we love and care about. (Be on the lookout for his next heartprintbook, Happy Dreamer too. It is amazing!)

                                           

When we marry passion and purpose, anything is possible. Love Kleber's More-igami for connecting creativity, play and passion at the center of all learning.

Todd Parr had two new books out this year.  Teachers Rock (must have gift for teachers/coaches & edufriends) and this adorable picture book with a message about individuality: Be Who You Are. Perfect for conversations with learners of all ages!

Sensing a theme on my list of faves?  We can all teach empathy, kindness, commUNITY and love through powerful picture books. 

I look forward to continuing the conversation with friends on line and IRL.  It is never about one book, one list, or one must-have.  It is about celebrating mentor authors and mentor texts that touch our students hearts and minds.   

Happy reading and share, share, share! 

What titles make your "must-have" list? #MustHaveRecs 

#WonderChat

All children start their school careers with sparkling imaginations, fertile minds and a willingness to take risks with what they think.  

-Sir Ken Robinson

I believe we must celebrate and find learning moments in everyday life.  Inquiry is an essential ingredient in achieving these goals.  We are never done learning.  Thanks to resources like Wonderopolis,  we can spark ideas and ignite curious minds through wonderings around texts, videos, infographics, poetry, and more.  Though this invitation to notice and wonder, we encourage students to play, explore and fall in love with language, words and ideas. Layers of learning are endless when we ask students to weigh in… what are you wondering about?

I am lucky to get to work with teachers and students in grades K-8. Many love Wonderopolis as a resource available to all. It has helped influence student questioning, student generated wonder walls, wonder words, and wonderful text sets are being created around wonders too. As we dig deeper around these wonders, our thinking and learning grows too. We connect wonders across texts to grow ideas using the hashtag #WOTDP (wonder of the day pairing). As an example, I am including a group of wonders and paired texts that celebrate wonder and kindness. When I think about the work we are privileged to do in teaching and learning as a commUNITY, kindness and wonder are at the heart of it all.   

Wonder of the Day Are you a good observer? #WOTDP: Finding Wild – written by Meghan Wagner Lloyd and illustrated by Abigail Halpin

Encourage students to “adopt a spot.

Choose an area to sit reflect, write and jot down thoughts and observations.  

What do your students wonder about? What will they investigate next?  

“Wild keeps many secrets waiting to be discovered.”

Wonder of the Day Are You Talented? #WOTDP: The OK Book- Amy Krouse Rosenthal

What are your strengths?  What would you like to learn more about?  

“Exploration through learning is one of the best ways to discover your talents.”  Getting to know your students? Thinking about goals for the new year? Resolutions?

Everyone is "excellent" at something. What will you work on being excellent at?  

http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/is-it-really-better-to-give-than-to-receive\

It is better to give than to receive. Encourage random acts of kindness too.

#WOTDP: Maybe Something Beautiful Written by Campoy & Howell, illustrated by Lopez  

Wonder of the Day: How Can You Make Someone’s Day?

http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/are-you-beautiful-on-the-inside

#WOTDP: One Smile by Cindy McKinley

                                                           

Words can and do hurt.  Smiles are priceless and can change someone’s day. My grandmother always said, “A smile costs nothing.”

Wonder of the Day: How Do You Have a Voice?

#WOTDP: I Am a Story by Dan Yaccarino

How can we get our students to share their voices and tell their stories?

Power lies in stories shared.

http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-can-you-pay-it-forward

#WOTDP Lend a Hand written by John Frank and illustrated by London Ladd

Making a difference in this world comes from teaching heads, hearts and hands. 

http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-makes-you-light-up-inside

#WOTDP: Last Stop on Market Street Written by Matt De La Pena and illustrated by Christian Robinson

Find beauty in the people and the world around you. Be present. Be kind.

Thanks to @Wonderopolis and friends for joining our #WonderChat on #WOTDP. Here's a link with additional possibilities for connecting the wonderful world of kid lit and wonder! #WonderChat: Storify