Recent Book Favs (3)

Hey all! I have to admit that I am usually nursing during story time at night these days...so my hubby has been reading with our 3yo. We're still enjoying Vera's New School (from my last post), a real winner with my daughter. Here's another recent fav:

Pumpkin Jack,  by Will Hubbell

My daughter chose this one at the library a couple weeks ago. Who picks a pumpkin book in March? I love that preschoolers have no preconceived notion of what is in or out of season...reading though this book right now made me think that it is a great any-time-of-the-year book...despite this not being pumpkin season!

Pumpkin Jack has great, quality writing. And the book is moving-- you almost become friends with this pumpkin that is alive, dies slowly, then brings new life again. I'm not sure why my daughter likes it so much (she's asked for it night after night recently)- but the story is quite compelling. It unravels some of the mysteries of the life cycle and shows how a seed creates a new (pumpkin) plant.

A boy carves a pumpkin. He is captivated by the light the pumpkin casts on the wall of his room and the smell it makes when a candle is placed inside of its carved shell. He's reticent to throw out the pumpkin when it starts to mold, so he puts it out in the dead winter garden- "with the brown ghosts of last summer's plants." The pumpkin completely decomposes. The boy is delighted to see pumpkins grow the next summer and fall from the seeds of his dead pumpkin. He shares the pumpkins he's grown with his friends.

This would be a great book to read in the spring, to show kids how seeds grow into something amazing. Here's to my daughter! So glad she chose this out of season book- what a great read, any time of year!

Hope you're well!

Recent Book Favs (2)

Little man is 7 weeks old today. I feel like life is becoming more routine. Sadly, I have to return to work in a couple of weeks. I'm feeling horrible that I have to leave my baby so soon! He's starting to smile and have a sweet personality. We just purchased a Woombie and he only woke up one time last night (at 1am) to nurse! WOW! That's the first time I haven't been up in that 2-4am window in 7 weeks!! Okay...on to literacy...

These favs are all library books. These were the 4 that my daughter chose to check out for a second time. I concur with all the choices, except the Caillou book. It's a satisfactory counting book, but my daughter is in love with the PBS Caillou show, and loves the book for this reason alone.

Recent Book Favs:

Vera's New School, by Vera Rosenberry

I thought this book was a little over my 3 year old's level (the character laments her pet chicken dying from ingesting dry cement {there's a picture of this}), but she loves it. We even picked up more in this series because she enjoyed it so much. Vera does't fit in at school, but she makes a new friend quickly. During a school presentation outdoors, Vera sits on an red ant hill, as does another little girl. They are sent to the bathroom and strip down so the nurse can tend to their bites (see below)- which I found a bit odd, but my daughter loved this part. This tough experience brings these two girls together as friends. My daughter had all sorts of questions after studying the illustrations in this book. This book is different than most children's book- it seems more like real-life (maybe that's why it feels a bit odd at parts) and strays away from some standard children's book conventions. I enjoy reading this book to my daughter. It would be a great book to read in a classroom, if your students can handle the girls having to strip to their undies to deal with the ant bites. Fun fact: Rosenberry's husband is a Noble Laureate, with a Noble Prize in chemistry. Best for kids in preschool- grade 2.

Of course my daughter that these girls love strip down to their undies!

Tiny Little Fly, by Michael Rosen, illustrated by Kevin Waldron

This book is playful, with large illustrations and colorful writing. A great read. this book has energy, created by rhyme and repetition. It's also a fast read- perfect if you're looking for a quick read for class (for teachers), or if you've had a long day and need to get the kidlets to bed quickly (for parents). Best for kids age 2-1st grade.


Oh, No!, by Candance Fleming and Eric Rohmann

This one is really fun! Go out and get it for your home or class! The illustrations are great, and the writing is fun and perfect for early literacy learners. Here's a sample, "Frog fell into a deep, deep hole. Ribbit-opps! Ribbit-opps! Frog fell into a deep, deep hole. Ribbit-opps! Frog fell into such a deep hole, he couldn't get out to save his soul. Croaked Frog, 'Help! Help! I can't get out!' Oh, no!" And so on...animals keep falling into the said deep hole. Tiger is pacing near the hole, getting ready for a mouth-watering dinner! Elephant comes to save the animals, and tiger gets trapped in the hole. The plot isn't anything new- the writing and illustrations make this book exceptional. Best for kids preschool- grade 2.

These books went back to the library. Good, but not favorites! Adios libros!

Recent Book Favs (1)

I know...It's been a long while. Does life get busy, or what? I'm actually supposed to be grading right now, but I said, heck with it!, I'm gonna do some blogging instead!

My husband tells me not to lament about a busy life, that it's a tired complaint. I agree! But here I go anyways- September was a rough and tumble month in my little world! I started a new job as the Director of Education at a local non-profit ministry, Harbor House. I'm 60%, which means I get to spend more time with my almost 3-year-old, but I'm definitely kept busy, even with more mommy-daughter chill time (surprise, surprise!!). Also we started my daughter at a local co-op preschool. So fun! But, also a lot of work! Also my hubby and I teach an online literacy development and assessment class for a credential program. The class runs August-October, so we're online quite often managing the class. WOW! Online teaching is rewarding, but also very time consuming.  Oh, I also joined a fab book club last month!! And, a big joy for us, I am 25 weeks preggars. I'm incubating a little baby boy- which we all are thrilled about.  My toddler is especially thrilled, and interacts with the baby a lot. So, that's where I've been!

I had to share some books we've been enjoying as a family lately. My daughter loves reading before bed each night, and definitely has book favorites. She tends to like to read library books over the books we already have. We have some good books, but the library books win out every night!

Recent Book Favs:

One Naked Baby, by Maggie Smith
This book has stolen my daughter's heart. What can be a better than a naked baby's adventures? I love that this book counts up to ten, and the counts back down to 1 again. My daughter's vocabulary is very development, but her number sense is not quite as strong. So, I'm all for a book that my daughter likes that is also a counting book. Here's some of the text, "ONE naked baby,/ TWO fat cats,/ THREE laundry baskets,/ FOUR silly hats,/ FIVE toes for tickling..." Each one of these lines of text has a page devoted to it, with very detailed illustrations. The baby is on each page being fun and silly- this is what my daughter loves. She can sit with this book for 20 minutes+ just studying the pictures, and that is not something she'll do with most books. And of course, my daughter loves that the book starts and ends with the baby naked in the bath...it makes her smile with glee every time!

Caps for Sale, by Esphyr Slobodkin
Who doesn't love this one! We got it from the library, and now I know why it's a classic. my daughter instantly felt bonded to this book: the refrain of "Caps for Sale", the silly monkeys up to monkey business, and the Tsz, Tsz Tszing of the peddler. I have gotten a kick out of my daughter randomly taking the phrase, "Caps for sale!" and making it her own. We were at a cafe, and we passed the trash can, and she said, "Trash for sale!" Don't you love how books and good writing weasels its way into all aspects of you little one's talk!

Five Little Ducks, Illustrated by Ivan Bates
This is another fav! We all know this preschool song. This gets such a high rating from my daughter because it is a book that we sing with her. She loves it, and sings most of it herself. The illustrations are soft, warm, and lovely.

This is the House that Was Tidy & Neat, by Teri Sloat, illustrated by R.W. Alley
This is a super big hit in out house, and my daughter has memorized large sections of it in the few weeks that we've had it. I am amazed that her comprehension is so spot on too- because when she makes a mistake when she's "reading" it with us, her mistakes always make sense. I love the rhythm and flow of the text in this book: "This is the house.../At the end of the street, That was tidy and neat, When mom left./ this is the mouse, Who lives in the wall, Twitching his whiskers, And watching crumbs fall, In the cozy old house, At the end of the street, That was tidy and neat when mom left." And so on... The illustrations are also lively, which I am finding are just the kind of illustrations that my daughter adores.

Do you have experience with these books? Are they your favs too?

One Awesome Book List!

As mentioned in my last post, I put together a list of books for potential donors to purchase for program participants at Harbor House, the non-profit where I'll be working come mid-August.

I'm psyched to join Harbor House as their Director of Education, and hopeful to help deepen the literacy experiences of the youth and families in the San Antonio District in Oakland.

This book list samples some amazing literature! These are some of my favorite authors and books. Some of these books are fun and silly, some are well-loved by most kids, and many are books that offer a multicultural voice or perspective. Harbor House's participants represent Oakland- truly diverse.

A big thanks to the commenters that left ideas on the last post for this book list!! You had excellent suggestions!

I know this list was meant for donors to gift a book to a child at Harbor House, but I hope you also find value in this list for your personal use- it includes some winners!

Click here for this list as a Google Doc

Picture Books

Favorite Authors/Series:
Books by Dr. Suess (Grades K-2, Beginning Reader)
Books by Allen Say (Grades 1-5, Asian American)
Books by Patricia Polacco (Grades K-6, Local and Well-loved)
Books by Vera B. Williams (Grades K+, African American)
Books by Mem Fox (Ages 2-8)
Books by Kevin Henkes (Ages 2-8)
Books by Gail Gibbons (Grades K+, nonfiction)
Frog and Toad Series by Arnold Lobel (Grades 1-3, Beginning Readers)

Specific Titles:
Brothers by Yin (Grades 2-5, Chinese American, Historical)
Mirror by Jeannie Baker (Ages K+, Multicultural, Wordless Picture Book)
Dia's Story Cloth: The Hmong People's Journey to Freedom by Joyce Herold, stitched by
Chue and Nhia Thao Cha (Ages 7+, Southeast Asian)
The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland (Grades 2 -5, Story of a Vietnamese refugee)
Anno's Counting House by Mitsumasa Anno (Ages 3+, Number Sense, Wordless Picture
Book)
Apple Pie 4th of July by Janet S. Wong (Grade K-2, Asian American)
The Bracelet, by Yoshiko Uchida (Grades 2-4, Japanese Internment in the Bay Area)
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi (Ages 4-8, Korean American)
The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson (Grades 1-5)
My Name is Sangoel by Karen Lynn Williams (Grades 1-3, Story of a Sudanese Refugee)
January’s Sparrow by Patricia Polacco (Grades 4-6, African American)
Thundercake by Patricia Polacco (Grades 1-4)
Cassie's Word Quilt by Faith Ringgold (Grades PreK-K, African American)
Tar Beach by Faith Ringgold (Grades 1-4, African American)
Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto (Grades K-2, Latino)
La Mariposa by Francisco Jimenez (Grades 1-4, Mexican American)
Wumbers By Amy Krouse Rosenthal (Ages 1-6, Number Sense)
Rap a Tap Tap by Leo and Diane Dillion (Ages 2-6)
Owl Moon by Jane Yole (Grades 2-5)
Hair by Sandra Cisneros (Grades 1-5)
Pierre the Penguin by Jean Marzollo (Grades K-2, nonfiction)
Drum City by Thea Guidone (Ages 2-7)
Martin's Big Words: The Life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by Doreen Rappaport (Grades
PreK-3, African American, Historical)

 

Chapter Books

Favorite Authors/Series:
Flat Stanley Series (Grades 2-4)
Cam Jansen Series (Grades 2-4)
Katie Kazoo Switcheroo Series (Grades 2-4)
Magic Treehouse Series (Grades 2-4)
Diary of a Wimpy Kids Series (Grades 3-5)
Books by Cynthia Rylant (Grades 1-3, Beginning Readers)
Books by Roald Dahl (Grades 2-5)
Books by Walter Dean Meyers (Grades 4+, African American)
Books by Gary Soto (Grades 4+, Latino)
Books by Kate DiCamillo (Grades 1-5)

Specific Titles:
Anna Hibiscus: Hooray for Anna Hibiscus (Ages 4-8, Beginning Reader, African American)
Dumpling Days by Grace Lin (Ages 7-10, Asian American)
The Mighty Miss Malone, by Christopher Paul Curtis (Ages 9-12, African American)
The Unforgotten Coat, by Frank Cottrell Boyce (Ages 9-12, Asian American)
The Circuit by Francisco Jimenez (Grades 4-7, Mexican American)
Breaking Through by Francisco Jimenez (Grades 4-7, Mexican American)
Big Nate Fun Blaster by Lincoln Peirce (Ages 8-12, Graphic Novel)

Religious

The Jesus Storybook Bible: Every Story Whispers His Name by Sally Lloyd-Jones (Ages 4+)
NIrV Kids Study Bible, Revised (Ages 6+)

Enjoy and much love!

Reading + Pinning + Doing (14)

Reading

Personal

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: This is a slow read, and I'm still working on it. I've made it to about page 400 out of 550 pages. I'm still enjoying it, but wish ot was a quicker read.

With the Family

Well-Loved Books/Authors:

My Friend Bear, by Jez Alborough: This series is one of my daughter's favs. She asks for it every time we read together. I try to avoid reading it (without success), not because it's not an excellent book for toddlers (it is), it's just not also targeted to my demographic. It's a little quirky, but has a good rythm scheme.

Hit the Ball Duck, by Jez Alborough: A group of animal friends is playing baseball when the ball gets stuck in the tree. They have to work together to get the ball out of the tree. This is an enjoyable book with a good cadence.

Snowballs, by Lois Elhert: Elhert is a well-loved author and this book gets good reviews on Amazon. I am not a fan of this book. This book is missing a little depth and background. It seems more like an informational how-to book, when I was expecting a narrative.

Millions of Cats, by Wanda Gag: The refrain in this book is great (Hundreds of cats, Thousands of cats, Millions and billions and trillions of cats), probably the reason why it is so well-loved.  But the cats fight over who's the prettiest, start clawing at each other, and they end up eating each other.

All in all- these picks are all slightly odd, but my daughter seems to like them...and they are well-loved for some reason or other.

When Stella Was Very, Very Small, by Marie-Louise Gay: My daughter is taking a lot of big girl steps this month, including potty training. She has started to say that she is not little, but big- a kid. This book is about Stella who is little, at first. This book is sweet and shows how Stella grows up through how she plays (When Stella was very, very, small, she explores the great tropical jungle behind her house). In the end, she becomes a big sister to Sam, and teaches him how she used to play when she way very, very small. This would especially be a great gift to a big sibling of a little sibling. Or a great book to a mom expecting a 2nd child. Or a great book for my little girl, who now see herself as a big kid!

Grandma's Pear Tree, by Suzanne Santillan: A sweet bilingual (English/Spanish) book. The plot is identical to the duck book, where a ball gets stuck in the tree and everyone works together to get it down. A great plot device, indeed.

A Hippo's Tale, by Lena Landstrom: This book is a fine bedtime story, but I won't be checking it out from the library again. The main character lives in a Hippo community. A Hippo gets thrown when her daily routine is disrupted. She learns to be a little flexible, but doesn't learn to live/work with others in the community.

Louella Mae, She's Run Away!, by Karen Beamont Alarcon: This is a fun-spirited ryhming book. Louella Mae is a pig that's run away.

In the Garden: Who's Been Here, by Lindsay Barrett George: I love this book. We just planted veggies out in the garden. In this book, two kids go out to the garden to pick veggies for dinner, and they discover that other animals have been in the garden too.  I love that it can start a dialogue between my daughter and me about the life in the garden.

Pinning

I pinned this a couple of days ago....an awesome reading site the Teach 21 Strategy Bank from the West Virginia Department of Education. It has a lot if useful teaching resources.

The Teach 21 Strategy Bank is designed to be a dynamic resource for educators. It contains a multitude of research-based strategies teachers can use to make their classroom instruction more effective, and to address the needs of their diverse students. These strategies have been collected from a variety of sources, including the standards-based units available on Teach 21.

Doing

I have 3 weeks left of school, which means it's assessment time! I have to do a bunch of end-of-year assessments on my students starting next week.

So, I am planning on not returning to my position next year. I love being a reading specialist, but the demands of a charter school schedule have taken away from the QT I get with my 2 1/2 year old.

I've taken a part-time position (60%) at a faith-based non-profit that I used to work at, Harbor House. I'll be the Director of Education. I'm excited for this transition. It means that I'll get to learn new management skills and I'll get to work with all ages- which I look forward to.

I've also enrolled my daughter in a co-op preschool. So, I'll get to help out there one morning per week.

I know I've been MIA this last month. I've been terribbly busy. I look forward to summer, and not having to start work until Septermber!

I'm linking up to these fab blogs---

Learning All The Time!!

Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns

Reading + Pinning + Doing (11)

Reading

One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street by Joanne Rocklin:  I'm reading this book aloud to my 4th and 5th grade students.  We've read the first couple of chapters. The kids that live on Orange Street have a mysterious visitor. With the visitor, comes a sneak into the street's past. I'll let you know how it turns out, but it has begun well.

 

Pinning

I just found BoomWriter today. This FREE online writing website encourages your child/students to write narratives. A celebrity writer starts a story, which is then collectively completed by young writers. This is a project of Citizen Schools, a non-profit that runs awesome programs at my husband's middle/high school. Check it out!

This was a lovely pin from the week. I love this poster:

Doing

We went to Little Farm in Berkeley last weekend. We checked out the farm animals (see rooster below), and took a walk to a pond (below). Even though my daughter was quite tired, we had a great morning.

It was my brother's birthday this weekend. His girlfriend had this awesome cake made for him (he's a huge Phillies fan)- I just had to show it off! We had a great time at my big bro's surprise party!

What are you Reading? Pinning? Doing?

Learning All The Time!!

Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns

Reading + Pinning + Doing (10)

I was having some techinical difficulties...But here it is (a day late)


Reading
To balance Dostoevsky's The Idiot (a dense, slow read), I picked up Why We Get Fat, by Gary Taubes.  I'm not much of a non fiction reader, but I am taken with this book. 

Taubes ideas are somewhat controversial, but Taubes appears to be well-respected in the science community. His thesis generally is that we should cut out/limit as many carbs as possible (carbs drives insulin which drives fat production) including all sugars (yes, even fruits), milk products, breads, beans, rice, etc... He encourages us to eat as many green veggies as possible, along with meats. (This is super simplified btw- his reasoning is much more articulate and based in history and science).

I haven't been able to lose a lot of my baby weight... and have started to be bothered by it more and more.This book deals with the science and history of obesity/fat in the world. In the past, I've blamed a lot of my weight on genetics, and I don't think that's the healthiest mindset (it doesn't really motivate me to change my eating/exercise habits!)

I'm about 50 pages into this book, and I've learned a lot. I'm hoping to become more educated about the science of food, so that I am more knowledgeable about my body and health, etc.. I'm not much into fad diets, or dieting at all, but I realize that I need to try something soon so that I can become more healthy! 

Has anyone out there read this book? If so, what do you think about Taubes' ideas?

With my little one, in heavy circulation this week is... 

To Market, To Market by Anne Miranda (Illustrated by Janet Stevens): This book is lively, and great fun for any preschooler. It starts off with the mother goose rhyme and gives us a literal picture of what it would be like to go pick up a cow, duck, a spring lamb at the store. The illustrations are wonderful- A real hoot! I love it and my daughter asks for it every night. 

 

Pinkalicious by Victoria Kann and Elizabeth Kann: Hmmmm, I don't know if I approve of this book. It's cute, but Pinkalicious loves cupcakes and isn't a fan of green veggies (not a mindset we want to advocate for in our house). But, my daughter loves it. And it is pretty silly that Pinkalicious turns pink! My daughter isn't that into girly things, but maybe this book will do her in.

Potty by Leslie Patricelli: We've had this book for a while. My daughter isn't potty-trained, but we thought that this book would warm her up to the idea (hasn't worked yet). We hadn't read this book for over a month, and when we picked it up this week my daughter started "reading" it. She got all the words spot on on 4-5 pages. My hubby and I were astounded and impressed! This is the first book she has been able to do that with. My little girl is growing up too fast!

Pinning
There are so many great pins out there! Here are some of my favs from the week!

This Alphabet Mat from Teach Beside Me. I would love to make one of these for my little girl! It looks pretty simple.

This Guided Reading Focus Chart by Level from What the Teacher Wants. This is a handy resource for any elementary teacher.

Doing

Staying up too late!! I'm trying to get in bed by 10:30 these days, and it's after 11pm. So goodnight all, have a great week! I'm going to bed!

Have a super week! And please share- I'd love to know what you are Reading, Pinning, Doing??!!

I'm Linking up:

Learning All The Time!!

Mouse Grows, Mouse Learns

Reading + Pinning + Doing (9)

ReadingHere are a couple of our library favs from the past week:

Rap a Tap Tap by Leo and Diane Dillion is a preschooler's story of BoJangles, an American tap dancer. This has great repetition and rhyme. This book is great for any child ages 2-6.

Nora's Room by Jessica Harper, illustrated by  Lindsay Harper duPont, is a silly, fun book. Nora is making a ruckus up in her room playing make believe. I also like that the author and illustrator are sisters.

Better Not Get Wet, Jesse Bear by Nancy White Calstrom also is filled with rhyme: Goldfish, goldfish/ swimming with a fin swish. Let me help you flap about/ I can zigzag in and out. I like the playfulness of the rhymes, but I don't love the illustrations- they're a bit dated.

Can you Growl like a Bear? by John Bulter is well written, and has soft, captivating illustrations. Here's a taste of the writing: Can you CROAK like a tree frog, basking in the rain? Can you ROAR like a leopard, slinking slowly by? This would be a great book for any preschooler.

We love Raffi's song, Shake My Sillies Out, so this book is fun to sing/read.

My daughter is still asking for Where is My Teddy? from last week, so I think we'll have to check it out again soon.

Pinning
This is a great site for educational games: Cookie.com. I like that you can also make an account for your child/students and track their progress. I suggested this site to a teacher that needs some additional sight word and multiplication practice for one of her students.

Doing
I have slacked on blogging because I have been busy, busy, busy. But life has been full of good times with friends and family, so I cannot complain.

I went to Glen Ellen (Sonoma wine country) with my sister, friends, spouses, and 6 kiddos. Good times.

Cousins take an epic hike

 My two lovelies

spontaneous reading happened often...

 amid chaos

 my husband and I took a walk to a winery



most of the clan 

my little family 

 we got our new backsplash installed- yay, I'm so excited!

 Me and my sweetie on a walk

It was a good long weekend.

Linking up at Mouse Learns, Mouse Grows (a little late!)

And at Learning All the Time!