The words for Week 10 are from the picture book, New Shoes for Sylvia by Johanna Hurwitz, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. To think that reading picture books will expose your child not only to a wonderful and gorgeously illustrated story, but to SAT building vocabulary. Jerry Pinkney is also a Caldecott winning illustrator and we are enjoying The Lion and the Mouse at home which is an amazing work that tells the story solely through watercolor illustrations with almost no words. This is not the case for New Shoes for Sylvia!
Science Projects for Middle School
Science projects for elementary and middle schoolers that do not require a “kit” to purchase. These are great science projects for kids for school projects or just for fun.
Yoga for Kids
Yoga Pretzels is a great way to introduce children to fun yoga poses. My yoga teacher Bea Abascal of Hola Yoga put together a sequence for kids that is short, fun and easy.
Percy Jackson Fan? Try Noah Zarc
If You Like Percy Jackson, try Noah Zarc: Mammoth Trouble by D. Robert Pease. It’s a Time Travel Action Adventure Series (and the Physics of Time Travel). Then, go backwards in time along the same story line but with A Wrinkle In Time’s Sandy and Dennys in Many Waters.
Real Pippi Longstocking Meets Caddie Woodlawn
Promise the Night covers Beryl’s childhood with inserts that document her aviation achievement. In real life, Beryl writes a memoir, West with the Night, that becomes a literary sensation, and goes on to Hollywood to consult on aviation for films. Ultimately, she ends up back in Nairobi, successfully training horses. She dies at the ages of 83.
15 Chapter Books for 2nd Grade through 8th Grade
Please welcome Tanya who writes a fantastic children’s literature book blog called Books4YourKids. I am always struck by her great taste in books and now, after reading her list, I am itching to get my hands on Vanished. This is the third time it’s hit my radar. Thank you Tanya for a really great list of books! We will be enjoying it all year!
50+ Best Books for Middle Schoolers: From Our Wonderful Middle School Librarian!
My oldest daughter is lucky in that she has the best Middle School librarian who really cares about finding books that make kids excited to read. He posted this list on our school eNewsletter which is how I found it. I think that by Middle School, students pretty have a good sense of the types of books that they like to read so his list, by genre, is particularly helpful. His list includes: Adventure/Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Humorous, Historical Fiction, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Horror/Supernatural, Science Fiction, Biographies/Non-Fiction, and Poetry. There is something for any tween or teen on his list!







