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
Children’s Literature for the Olympics
The 2014 Winter Olympics are about to get underway in Sochi, Russia. Soon the 24/7 coverage of the games will begin. We’ll watch video clips of athletes training, hear the...
Rethinking Nonfiction Topic-Based Text Sets
When I think about text sets, I consider the ways we collect books as teachers to help build background knowledge and understanding around a topic. With text complexity being highlighted...
Rethinking Nonfiction Series Books
Series books have always been an anchor for my readers in grades 3-6. When it comes to fiction, once my students are hooked on a series, they are often set...
Rethinking Nonfiction Author Baskets
Last year, my class put together a Symbaloo page highlighting all of our favorite authors. It was a fun project as we reflected on authors we loved. We wanted to...
Mock Newbery Club
Last year I created my first ever Mock Newbery club. I rushed to come up with something in January, and students met with me over lunch one day to talk...
Curating a Nonfiction Classroom Library
We should be curators of our libraries, not just collectors. Offering students an engaging, diverse classroom library requires more than buying books and putting them on bookshelves . . ....
November Contract: Family and Memoir
November is a month of celebrating family and giving thanks. It’s a time when many people go "home" to relatives and traditions. As much as we all love our families,...
She Wants to Be Katniss for Halloween: Courageous Girls in Books
Fifth-grader Kennedy has never dressed up as a girl for Halloween -- at least not since she was three years old. As soon as she was old enough to state...
Strong Girls Book Group
Franki Sibberson shares a range of books that include compelling female characters with a group of fourth-grade girls. Here is a list of the books mentioned by Franki in...
Mentor Texts for “Versus” Stories
What is it that young writers find so appealing about versus stories? Last year my first-grade class loved versus stories. They went on a versus writing streak in writing workshop...
Mentor Texts for Writing Endings
Have you ever been completely satisfied with a book because of the power of its ending? The last few words or paragraphs the author chooses can leave me fulfilled ....
The Minimalist: Essential Texts for Kindergarten Teaching
I am a minimalist. I fancy myself a careful consumer looking for utility in each item. I have learned to survive using a few select items. These select items fit...
“My Ideal Bookshelf”: Books that Educate Us
I’ve been feeling restless lately about my reading assessment in my classroom—particularly in the realm of reader reflection—and I wanted to try something new. In recent years I’ve asked my...
Using Instagram to Sell Summer Reading Options
During this past school year Instagram, a picture sharing social media platform, became very popular with my fourth-grade students. About half of my class had Instagram on their phones or...
Recommendations for Summer Reading Fun: Early Reader Chapter Books for Boys
Boys who are just getting into early reader chapter books have lots to choose from. We’ve listed some of our favorite books with boys at the center by well-known and...
Recommendations for Summer Reading Fun: Comics and Graphic Novels for Early Readers
Kids LOVE graphic novels! What’s not to love? Pictures, details, and interesting stories to pore over, and now there are so many that have the added attraction of good stories...
Recommendations for Summer Reading Fun: Classic Books for Early Readers
For book lovers, summer is a an idyllic time for reading, a chance to dip into those books we’ve been itching to crack open, or revisit special books from our...
Death in Books: Finding Our Way After Loss
My father died last fall. While his death was sudden, I continue to feel glad he is no longer suffering. Alzheimer’s was his unfortunate companion for years. He rarely knew...
Madness, the Spring Slump, and High School Readers
I have worked hard over the past ten years to create a culture of reading in my 11th and 12th grade English classes. From book passes to book talks to...
Understanding the Middle East Through Children’s Literature (BOOKLIST)
As educators of kids, as well as literacy coaches who work with adults, we have been searching for quality children’s literature about the Middle East. Countries from the Middle East...
March Book Madness
During the month of March, like many people in the United States, I am consumed by college basketball. In my opinion the NCAA Basketball Championship is the greatest thing in...
