Book Recommendations

"The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend" by Dan Santat

“Beekle” is an excellent story for nurturing young (& not-so-young) imaginations, something we continually strive to do:) Not only are the illustrations gorgeous (I’m a sucker for great illustrations & this one won the Caldecott), but there is so much in this story to explore & relate to. Beekle (who has no name until his friend gives him one) is born on an island where imaginary friends are created, waiting for his turn to be picked by a child and given a special name.

Beekle decides instead of waiting, he will do the “unimaginable” & journey to find his friend. This book truly captures the excitement, wonder, & sweetness of childhood that we love to cherish. Combine a Read Aloud of this book with the comprehension questions from my previous posts or simply relax & curl up together & enjoy this beautiful book.

“Alice the Fairy" by David Shannon

Looking for a fun & engaging book to curl up with? David Shannon (author of the “David” series) created the adorable “Alice the Fairy,” about Alice, a “temporary” fairy who uses her magic wand to make her world a better place by doing things like turning her dad’s cookies into hers😉 ⁣
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Kids of all ages love the illustrations & Alice’s antics, and parents appreciate seeing the world through Alice’s silly and sanguine eyes. Check it out!⁣

“Actual Size” by Steve Jenkins

My first nonfiction book recommendation is “Actual Size” by Steve Jenkins. One of the great things about this book is that the images are created to scale, so when your little one puts his hand over the gorilla’s he can see the actual difference in size. 🦍 ⁣
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Kids also LOVE special features like fold-out pages (see the saltwater crocodile). Use this book with my Nonfiction Comprehension Questions in my next post and you are good to go! 📚 ⁣

"First of Octember" by Dr. Seuss

Book recommendation: Please Try to Remember the First of Octember by Dr. Seuss. 🎩 It’s a fun read of a Dr. Seuss book that the kids LOVE & giggle all the way through. ⁣
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After I read it, when they do something they shouldn’t I tell them they can do it again on the 1st of Octember;) 😉⁣⁣
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Sometimes I use this book as a lead in for teaching about months or calendar as well. 🗓 ⁣⁣

"When Blue Met Egg” by Lindsay Ward

‘ve recently read one of my favorite New York City based books with several students & they LOVED it! “When Blue Met Egg” by Lindsay Ward is the story of a bird (Blue) who lives in Central Park. What Blue thinks is an egg (but is actually a snowball) lands in her nest & she sets off on an adventure around NYC to reunite Egg with Egg’s mother. ⁣
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My students love this book because they’re familiar with many of the featured landmarks, but also because it’s a sweet clever story about friendship. ⁣
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Another reason is that the pictures are AMAZING because of the way they’ve been created: each page is actually a cut paper collage combined with some paint, crayon, & pencil drawings. The kids love identifying how the pictures were made & also realizing this is a way they too can create pictures & tell a story. ⁣
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I often use this book during winter in conjunction with the Ezra Jack Keats classic “The Snowy Day,” in which a similar method has been used to create the pictures.⁣

“Maisy Makes Gingerbread” by Lucy Cousins

Need a quick and fun holiday book for ELA Time or to enjoy with your little ones? 💫 Look no further than “Maisy Makes Gingerbread” by Lucy Cousins (recommended for 3-7 year olds).⁣
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The large, short text makes this a great choice for beginning readers, but it’s also perfect for teaching sequencing or as a mentor text for a “How To” writing lesson. ⁣✏️
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Even more fun: curl up with your little one, this book, and a plate of gingerbread cookies & hot cocoa with marshmallows!⁣ 🍪

"Light the Lights!” by Margaret Moorman

Light the Lights!” is a wonderful book about celebrating both Hannukah & Christmas, & how light is important in both holidays.⁣
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Wishing you and your family peace and light in this season of miracles!⁣