#Road2Reading Challenge: Two Read Alouds

Along with lots of picture books this weekend, I also included a few new to me chapter books that I discovered when browsing through the "Best Of" lists. Here are two that would not only be fun reads for students but would also make enjoyable read alouds. 

Yours Sincerely, Giraffe by Megumi Iwasa, Illustrated by June Takabatake (Gecko Press 2017)

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I quickly fell in love with it. Giraffe and Pelican are bored, which leads to letter writing and letter delivering and a new friendship with a Penguin, Seal and Whale. 

Zoey and Sassafras: Dragons and Marshmallows by Asia Citro, Illustrated by Marion Lindsay

There was a lot to enjoy with this new series featuring a young girl who with the help of her cat must help injured magical creatures. Zoey uses her thinking goggles and scientific method to help a baby dragon. (Note: The Next Generation Science Standards or NGSS have expanded beyond simply teaching the scientific method. As a read aloud, you may be able to talk with students about other strategies that Zoey could have used.)

Look for both of these books at your local indie bookstore or public library.

All journeys have a starting place.
This is a weekly place to find books and tools
that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.
Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

Each week, Michele Knott and I post about new early readers and transitional chapter books. 

#Road2Reading Challenge: Holiday Chapter Books

The holiday season is in full swing, and I started to think about holiday chapter books. HarperCollins has re-illustrated and re-issued the Christmas Stories from the Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I remember reading the full series when I was nine years old and being struck by the simplicity and joy in the Christmas celebrations by Laura and her family. How a stocking with an orange and some nuts and a candy cane was celebrated with great enthusiasm and sincere appreciation. 

Christmas Stories: Little House Chapter Book #5 by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Illustrated by Ji-Hyuk Kim (Re-illustrated edition, HarperCollins, August 2017) 

Another favorite that I actually discovered years after it came out was Barbara Robinson's The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. How can you not fall in love with the Herdman's? I think I appreciated this story more as a young teacher than I would have as a child. 

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, Illustrated by Judith Gwyn Brown (HarperCollins, 1988 - other editions by other publishers beginning in 1972)

Both of these books are perfect independent chapter book reads for 2nd and 3rd graders, but can be enjoyed as read alouds for younger children or revisited by older readers who want a moment of nostaglia. 

If anyone has a favorite holiday chapter book that features holiday traditions other than Christmas, can you include the title in the comments? 

All journeys have a starting place.
This is a weekly place to find books and tools
that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.
Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

Each week, Michele Knott and I post about new early readers and transitional chapter books. 

#Road2Reading Challenge: Pugs, Engineers, and Spies

My bookstack keeps growing and I look forward to Thanksgiving break to make a dent in it. In looking through some of the books I have received lately, I moved to the top three books. 

Cowboy Pug by Laura James; Illustrated by Eglantine Ceulemans (Bloomsbury, May 2017)

Cowboy Pug is a follow up to Captain Pug. Both books make for a perfect transitional chapter book for readers moving from early readers to books with a few more chapters and pages. There are approximately six chapters in the each book and there is a nice balance between text, illustrations, and white space. Pugs may not be the most likely of adventure heroes but Miranda and her pug may just change your mind. 

Also, look for the first book in the series called Captain Pug: The Dog Who Sailed the Seas by Laura James (Bloomsbury, 2016). 

In my bookstack:
If you are looking to 2018 and some upcoming releases, I came across these two upcoming books. I have started them but haven't yet finished. I hope to finish them up over Thanksgiving break.

Ellie, Engineer by Jackson Pearce (Bloomsbury, January 16, 2018)

I love the concept of this book. It reminds me of a few conversations I have had recently with women school administrators who keep their own toolboxes in their offices for those times when a hammer or screwdriver is needed to fix something. 

Spy Toys by Mark Powers; Illustrated by Tim Wesson (Bloombury, February 16, 2018)

Another upcoming chapter book with a great premise. Spy Toys is about toys that are a bit different and ready to save the day. 

All journeys have a starting place.
This is a weekly place to find books and tools
that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.
Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

Each week, Michele Knott and I post about new early readers and transitional chapter books.