My 5th grade daughter’s book club got invited to the 5th grade boys’ book club because they had a special guest, William Maliul, an articulate and engaging Lost Boy of Sudan, who came to speak about his experiences in Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the United States. Brothers in Hope was the book club selection and though it is a picture book, the content is suitable for a 4th or 5th grader.
The Geisel Award is given annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. It was founded in 2004 and the first award year was 2006, so it’s a fairly new award. That’s great because it’s a list that is actually plausible to work through! What Easy Readers have you and your kids enjoyed? Let’s add it to the list!
This is a great blog post on Partnered Reading to encourage your reluctant reader to read from http://PracticalPages.wordpress.com She also gives some great resources if you need further advice.
The Green Earth Lit award is sponsored by the Newton Marasco Foundation for books that either promote an inspired understanding of the environment, an awareness of environmental issues, or a celebration of nature; encourage the concept of environmental stewardship and the role each of us can play in nurturing, protecting, and defending our environment; and with environmental issues that are current and accurately portrayed. What are your favorite Green Earth books? Please share!
We travel this week to Argentina. When I think of Argentina, the first thing I think of is beef but there is more to Argentina than just cattle. I wanted to explore the gauchos (Argentinean cowboys) and indigenous people.
Getting kids to sleep is such a politically charged topic for parents. There are the co-sleepers who are vehemently opposed by the Independent Sleepers. Caught in the middle? The parents who get no sleep and still have to function the next day. Here are two takes. Go the F**k to Sleep is by Newton (my town) funny man Adam Mansbach whose jack-in-the-box kids are fodder for humor. If they are keeping him awake, it’s clearly enhancing his sense of humor.
A quirky selection of books for budding artists of ages that includes picture book through young adult fiction. No book is actually instructional in nature, rather the list serves to stir the creative juices for reading and creating art!