You can never really go wrong with a Kevin Henkes book! The illustrations in this book remind us of the style Kevin Henkes used in Kitten’s First Full Moon.  We loved sharing this book to our kids as a way to show that a bad day can turn into a good one!  The illustrations are wonderful and it is a great addition to our classroom library. Another great read to add to an author study on Kevin Henkes, as well!

>> Buy the book

We have to confess…we loved this book as much as the intermediate students who read it!  This chapter book is about an orphan and three other exceptionally different children who form an unexpected friendship while working on a very important mission. The Mysterious Benedict Society has more twists, turns and tricks packed into one book than one can imagine. Not only a fun read aloud, this book also addresses more serious issues faced by many: loyalty, friendship, family, and taking on one’s fears.  This book could be one of our favorites!

>> Buy the book

We were so impressed by the amazing writing and illustrating contained in this mystery, that we’ve nicknamed Brian, “Brilliant Brian Selznick!” We feel that once you check out The Invention of Hugo Cabret, you’ll find his nickname to be a fitting one. This 500-plus page novel is unlike anything we have seen before in terms of excellent writing and AMAZING illustrations. From the very first page, the illustrations captivate and draw in readers, young and old alike! This is a perfect book to recommend to parents of children who are getting “too old” to cuddle up and share in a good story. The tantalizing illustrations just beg to be shared with someone sitting close! We have also used this book in the classroom to teach children about the important role that great illustrations play in telling a story.

>> Buy the book

This was a perfect book to read with some of our younger readers! The simple story plays on the well-known fact that children are drawn through imagination to cardboard boxes! The simple pattern of questions and answers has the imaginative rabbit insisting, “It’s not a box!”  Our little ones were able to read the book quite easily after the first reading, giving them confidence as capable readers. They even moved into writing their own “Not a Box” stories. Conversation about the book continued during buddy reading with an older class, when the “big kids” shared their stories of how they used to play with boxes when they were little! A great read for newer readers (and writers!).

>> Buy the book

Spring fever: The good, the bad and the ugly…While the flowers are blooming and the birds are chirping, it seems that Spring often includes some challenging times in terms of social relationships among our students (at least, we are hoping that we are not the only teachers who experience this!). Not My Fault, by Leif Kristiansson does a superb job of addressing some of the issues involved with bullying and blaming. Leif’s story is set in a schoolyard where a boy is being bullied and the other children have excuses for not stepping in to help. The book lends itself to thought-provoking conversations about the responsibility to act and to stand up for others. Our youngest learners really took the book’s message to heart, while the elders were prompted to have in depth conversations about the implications of our actions on society as a whole. A great read to launch important conversations about social interactions in a little one’s life.

>> Buy the book