Choice Lit Topic: Booklists
There are so many wonderful new children’s and young adult books published each year — and there is a lot of dreck out there too. We aim to be curators as we sort through, organize, and group books so that you can find just what you need.
Whether it’s mentor texts for a unit on persuasive writing, or just-right books for a fifth-grade English language learner, we’ve scoured lists of award winners, recommendations from colleagues, and the Kidlitsophere to come up with these lists.
Results
Nonfiction Books for Independent Reading: Moving Beyond Content Connections (BOOKLIST)
What we often forget when considering the importance of nonfiction reading is the pleasure, the art, the wonder of it. We do not want to develop students who read nonfiction...
Literary Nonfiction: Models for Writing
I have never felt as comfortable with nonfiction writing in my elementary classroom as other genres. The products never have much variety. Somehow, students' nonfiction writing always ends up sounding...
Strong Girls (BOOKLIST)
I have become more committed to finding good books for boys over the last few years. So much has been written about the crisis in boys and literacy that I...
Beyond Matt Christopher (BOOKLIST)
Thank goodness for Matt Christopher! I can't imagine how many boys are avid readers because of his books. Every year, I have readers, mostly boys, who become obsessed with reading...
Worth a Thousand Words: Teaching with Wordless Picture Books
Wordless picture books are a wonderful instructional tool for teachers to use with students of any age. I remember some time ago when the American Library Association annouched their annual...
Where Have All the Picture Books Gone?
When my oldest daughter was in first grade, she was in the 20+ basket. This meant that during reading time, she could read books at level 20 and above. This...
Books That Touch the Heart
A recent coaches' networking meeting was derailed by an experience shared by one of the coaches. Sandy was helping a group of sixth-grade teachers put together a text set on...
Helping Struggling Writers
I've found there are two kinds of struggling writers in my classroom, even though any struggling writer has some unique personality traits. At the start of the year, some students...
Multicultural Picture Books for Young Children
Children learn about the sounds of language through exposure to linguistic awareness games, nursery rhymes, and rhythmic activities. Engaging children in choral readings of rhymes and rhythms allows them to...
Giving New Readers a Diet of More Than Leveled Books
I am going on another diet. Not one of my favorite things, but something I have to do. I know that for the diet to last through all of the...
Book Matchmaker: Texts for “Outdoorsy” Boys
I received this request from Carolyn: "Can we tackle the age-old problem of books that get ten-year-old boys jazzed about reading? I had many boys this past year...
Chapter Book Read Alouds in the Primary Classroom
"It will never work," said Leela, a veteran kindergarten teacher with 25 years of experience. "They love the pictures. They all get up on their knees to see the pictures...
Shopping With Ana: Expanding Our Definition of “Just Right” Books in Grades K-2
My six-year-old daughter Ana has recently discovered the joy of gift certificates. She received a gift certificate from Borders Bookstore from my parents for Valentine's Day. Ana seemed to grasp...
Playing with Word Work: Inviting Students to See Playful Language in Books (BOOKLIST)
In a recent discussion about a Time for Kids article, my fifth-grade students brought up the fact that many common sayings in books and magazines don't make sense to them. In this...
Tips from the Pros on Starting Your Own Writer’s Notebook or Teaching Journal
Your writer's notebook gives you a safe place to ask: What really matters? What haunts me? What in my life, in this world, do I never want to forget? Your...
Just Because They Can Doesn’t Mean They Should: Choosing Age-Appropriate Books for Literature Circles
"Whatever you are doing tomorrow, cancel it! You have got to come and see Jan's literature circles." That was the message that Patty, a literacy coach, left on my voicemail....
Hooked on Series: Great Series Books for Transitional Readers
Most of us have memories of a series that we loved. When I was a child, I was hooked on Nancy Drew mysteries. My grandmother had every one of the...
Planning for K-3 Author Studies (eGUIDE)
"Planning for K-3 Author Studies" is an eGuide designed for use by teachers working alone or with partners. The guide includes grids for monthly and year-long plans, suggested authors and...
Helping Young Readers Understand the Middle East: A Booklist of the Best Fiction Picture Books
I still remember the first time I read Day of Ahmed's Secret. I showed the book to colleagues and friends, telling them, "He looks just like my uncle Girgi! " or...
Alphabet Books for English Language Learners
Five-year-old Bao Jun lived two-thirds of her young life in China, then moved to Portland, Oregon. On the first day of kindergarten, her mother told me, "You say, she understand....
Comprehending Graphic Novels: A Primer for Teachers
Some year ago I discovered a whole new "room" in the library, one I'd never visited before. Likewise, I have found shelves in the bookstore that I've only ever walked...
