It's Monday, What Are You Reading-October 13, 2014

Please visit the amazing blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers who host this terrific meme each week.

Here are my books from last week. Click on the pictures to learn more about each book.

Picture Books

Cute book for the very young. Great illustrations. 

Another book for preschool-Kindergarten. Shows how children are alike all around the world. 

Loved this wordless picture book.

Hilarious, simple book. K-2.

Nonfiction Picture Books

Even as a child, Ben Franklin was an inventor. Great read aloud for upper grades. 

This is a favorite nonfiction picture book from this year for sure. 

Still Reading

Sadly I have not read any more this week.

Still Listening

What Are YOU Reading?

Stack-It-Up Sunday, October 12, 2014

On Sundays I like to share some of the random piles of books around my house. I originally posted about my piles on this celebration post.  Along with showing everyone how messy my house is, I like to share because each pile has its own story.

Here are this week's stacks.

This is the pile on my kitchen counter. It contains three books from the library including Bug Safari, Hank Finds an Egg and a Cork and Fuzz book. The book, Be a Changemaker is a book I won from a giveaway from my friend Alyson Beecher! 

 This is TJ's current fave. 

My daughter got this MSBA contender from the library. 

I could not resist purchasing these two Heineman titles at the Maine Literacy Council's Book Bonanza last week. Linda Reif's Read, Write Teach and Thomas Newkirk's Minds Made From Stories. 

What books are in your stacks? 

Happy Sunday!

A Review of Bramble and Maggie: Spooky Season by Jessie Haas

Bramble and Maggie: Spooky Season
by Jessie Haas
Illustrated by Alison Friend
Published 2014 by Candlewick Press
Early Chapter Book
Fiction
56 Pages
Review copy obtained from publisher. 

Goodreads Summary
In their third adventure, Bramble and Maggie explore a new season together — fall! Leaves crunch underfoot. Acorns ping off rooftops. It all makes Bramble feel wonderfully spooky. But Bramble’s frisky-pretend-scary gait makes Maggie jumpy, and soon Bramble really is nervous. There are alarming new sights and sounds everywhere, like Mr. Dingle’s scarecrow. When Maggie takes a fall, will she want to get back in the saddle? And when Halloween comes, can Maggie trust Bramble to brave the tricks and lead them both safely to the treats?

My Thoughts

If you know a child, ages 5-8, who loves horses, this is a must-have series. With the perfect ratio of text to pictures, this series is perfect for children who are ready ease into the world of chapter books. Younger children who are not ready to read it on their own, will enjoy hearing the story read to them while looking at the big, colorful illustrations. 

In this third book of the series, the horse Bramble gets a bit spooked by all of the Halloween decorations and costumes. After Maggie falls off him, she must decide is she has the courage to get back on. Maggie demonstrates resiliency, courage and trust making this book a wonderful springboard into some deeper conversations in class and at home.  

I would definitely recommend this series for young readers. The first two books (Bramble and Maggie: Horse Meets Girl and Bramble and Maggie: Give and Take) are also available now. 

Want more books about horses? Jessie Haas uses her tremendous knowledge of horses in many books. Visit her website here.

Visit Alison Friend's website here.  

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday-October 8, 2014

My Friend Alyson Beecher at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a weekly link up to share Nonfiction Picture Books. Please visit her amazing website. 

Agate: What Good is a Moose? 
by Joy Morgan Dey
Illustrated by 
Nikki Johnson
Published 2007 by Lake Superior Post Cities Inc. 
Picture Book
32 Pages
Obtained from public library

Summary from Goodreads 
Agate is a moose with low self-esteem. He feels inadequate and plain, like an ugly brown rock, especially when he compares himself to his beautiful friends who are named after birthstones. These friend help Agate to see that just like his namesake, true beauty lies within. Stunning original watercolors, a witty, positive message about self image plus bonus pages with birthstone and agate facts. Perfect for reading aloud.

My Thoughts

Although this book is categorized as fiction, I am sharing it here on Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday because it is filled with facts about the animals. 

I like how each animal is named after a birthstone and beautifully painted using the respective watercolors. The message is not new, but one that bears repeating with children: everyone is unique and should be valued for their own talents and gifts. The author weaves in facts that work very naturally with the story. She does not shy away from using more complicated vocabulary, within the rhyming, poetic text, such as disjointed, scarcely, malcontented and self-conscious making this book a perfect read aloud for ages 5-10. Along with enjoying the story, there are many curricular connections that can be made.

Use this book...

*as part of a poetry unit. 

*as a read aloud during a unit about animals.

*early in the year to build community-everyone is unique. 

*as a mentor text for context clues. 

*as a mentor text for facts vs. opinions. 

*as a mentor text for summarizing-somebody, wanted, but, so, then.

Slice of Life Post-Fall in Maine and Family Time

Each Tuesday the amazing bloggers at Two Writing Teachers host Slice of Life Stories (SOLS). This is where bloggers link up to share anything they would like to share about what is happening in their lives. 

It has been quite a while since I have posted a SOLS post.  Believe me, I have been meaning too, but this September has just been CRAZY!! I can't promise to make it weekly, but I am going to try my best to be a little more consistent. 

Fall in Maine
Anyone who has been to Maine in Early October can tell you that it is just beautiful! The foliage is at its peak and the weather is still gorgeous. It's warm enough, but that lovely fall chill is in the air. My family has been trying to enjoy the fall since it just passes by far too quickly. Last week we went apple picking. Although it was a freakishly warm (80 degree) day, we had a wonderful time picking apples and enjoying cider donuts with extended family. This year TJ was far more interested than he has been in years past so that made it more fun. It also made us purchase lots more apples since he would not stop picking. It was also great to have our 12 year-old enjoying a day with us. I often think about how many more years she will want to do things like this as a family. 

 Today (Sunday) was a picture perfect Maine fall day so we decided to go for a walk around our neighborhood. Then we came back and played an impromptu game of frisbee....all four of us. There are not many active games we can play together that hold TJ's attention for long so this was an especially wonderful activity. Molly even said, and I quote, "This is fun, I love hanging out with you guys".  A fleeting moment of pre-teen happiness. I'll take it. 

I hope you are all taking some time to enjoy the change of seasons. 

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? October 6, 2014

Please visit the amazing blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers who host this terrific meme each week.

Here are my books from last week. Click on the pictures to learn more about each book.

I enjoyed this poetic nonfiction(ish) picture book. I will highlight it here on Wed. 

Although I do usually enjoy Quentin Blake, I wish I could say I enjoyed this book. It was just too weird for me. 

Enjoyed this story of determination and resiliency. Unfortunately the story is based on the author's experiences here in the US after her family fled Vietnam. 

Finished reading...

Yes, it is as good as everyone says. A must-read and my current Newbery Fave!

I finished listening to...

 This compelling story was perfectly narrated by Peter Coyote.

Currently reading...

and

Currently listening....

What Are YOU Reading Friends? 

Visit this week:

Tues-Slice of Life Post

Wed.-Nonfiction Picture Book Wed.

Thursday-A Review of Bramble and Maggie: Spooky Season

Stack-It-Up Sunday-October 5, 2015

On Sundays I like to share some of the random piles of books around my house. I originally posted about my piles on this celebration post. As Along with showing everyone how messy my house is, I like to say that each pile has its own story.

Here are this week's stacks.

This is the stack on my stairs waiting for me to bring them to my room.

 My son is loving his ABC Sing Along Book right now. 

This stack is by the couch. 

These books sit on the dining room table where I worked yesterday. 

TJ is currently loving this classic (he loves Finding Nemo also). 

Here is my library stack. 

Linda Rief's Read, Write Teach and Thomas Newkirk's Minds Made for Stories along with Jacqueline Woodson's Brown Girl Dreaming sit on my kitchen counter. 

What do you have in your stacks?