THE BOOKWORM

I Hate Reading: How to Read When You'd Rather Not by Beth Bacon 114 pages © 2020 As teachers, we have all been there. Kids tell us they hate reading and we want to turn them around and fall in love with reading. This new book is exactly what teachers are looking for! Limited text on the page helps readers get through the book quickly (sometimes just one sentence or a short phrase on each page) and the humorous graphics will keep kids laughing all the way through. Even your m

Democracy for Dinosaurs: A Guide for Young Citizens by Laurie Krasny Brown Illustrated by Marc Brown 32 pages © 2020 Getting kids to understand concepts like democracy, fairness, the rule of law, and free speech is challenging but Laurie Krasny Brown does an outstanding job of bringing these concepts down to a level that our youngest citizens can understand. Marc Brown's vibrant illustrations compliment the text. Limited text on each page. This title is a winner for every cl

Finish the Fight by Veronica Chambers 144 pages © 2020 The untold stories of the Suffragette Movement and its importance in today's world. Includes many photographs, an extensive timeline, and short biographies in the glossary. #teachers #readaloud #kidsbooks #reading #teachersofinstagram #teachersfollowteachers #teachersofig #teacherstyle #teacherlife #mentortext Kirkus Review of Finish the Fight!

I Talk Like a River by Jordan Scott Illustrated by Sydney Smith 40 pages © 2020 Author Jordan Scott uses his own personal experience as a stutterer as inspiration for I Talk Like a River. A young boy cannot find the words to speak and his compassionate parents help him accept and overcome stuttering. Mentor Text: Use this title for teaching word choice, and for them. Teachers should read then reread the book and have students notice how the author creates a mood of compassion

Sea Turtles (New & Updated) by Gail Gibbons Nonfiction 32 pages © 2020 Gail Gibbons is one of those authors known far and wide for writing science picture books that keeps readers spellbound. Mentor Text: Use this picture book as a mentor text to show students how or organize and write an informational unit. While there are no chapters, Gibbons does a wonderful job of using illustrations along with labeled diagrams. She also includes two pages to compare the differences betwe

The Alien Adventures of Finn Caspian The Fuzzy Apocalypse #1 Series by Jonathan Messinger 128 pages © 2020 Young space scouts travel through space with the task of finding a planet that humans can inhabit. The trouble begins when 8 year old Finn discovers he and his troop are stuck on a planet that is ready to explode. This highly illustrated book is an excellent choice for younger readers ready to tackle more text. #teachers #kidsbooks #reading #teachersofinstagram #teacher

The Secret Time Machine and the Gherkin Switcheroo by Simone Lia Chapter Book for Younger Readers 192 pages © 2020 Who would have thought a bird and a worm would become close friends? Get ready to laugh throughout this title! Don't let the number of pages in this chapter book steer you away from suggesting this title to your younger students. Yes, there are 192 pages but there is limited text on each page along with illustrations. This may be just the right book for students

If You Want a Friend in Washington: Wacky, Wild & Wonderful Presidential Pets by Erin McGill 44 pages © 2020 This title has so many uses across many grade levels. History Text: Have kids who think history is boring? Share this book and they will see history in a whole different light. As students read through the text, they will discover unique facts that will encourage them to read on such as one president's dog has a park named after her while another president was sent

King of the Birds Arlo & Pip #1 by Elise Gravel Early Readers Graphic Novel 64 pages © 2020 Got readers who just finished Narwhal and Jelly and are looking for their next series? Check out this new series featuring Arlo, an arrogrant crow, and Pip, his sarcastic side-kick. Expect a giggle or two from students as they are entertained by the antics of these two unlikely friends. Facts about crows are featured throughout this graphic novel. #teachers #kidsbooks #reading #teacher

Pasture Bedtime by Sigmund Brouwer Illustrated by Sabrina Gendron Early Reader Chapter Book 112 pages © 2021 Students ready to increase their reading stamina will find this a great choice for the next step up. The simple plot and not too much text on the page along with extensive illustrations make this a title that younger readers will enjoy. Charlie and his veterinary mom live on the farm and life is good until Charlie's mom hires a bookkeeper who takes up residence on the

Mina Mistry Investigates: The Case of the Loathsome School Lunches by Angie Lake 240 pages © 2020 Students who love mysteries and have the reading stamina for a longer chapter book will enjoy this new series. When Mina's school sponsors a healthy eating assembly, Mina and her friends take notice of the unhealthy food served in the school cafeteria. Something must be up and Mina and friends decide to get the bottom of this. The font is a bit larger and there is not too much

All Welcome Here by James Preller Illustrated by Mary GrandPré Small Moments Mentor Text; Read Aloud Picture Book 40 pages © 2020 This new picture book is a great choice as a read aloud for welcoming students back to school no matter if it is the very beginning of the school year or if it the beginning of students returning to classes at some point later in the school year. This is a perfect choice for teaching small moments to students new to personal narrative. Even though

Pea, Bee, and Jay: Stuck Together #1 by Brian "Smitty" Smith (Pea, Bee, and Jay: Wannabees #2) Graphic Novel Series for Early Readers 64 pages © 2020 Got early readers who are ready to increase their reading stamina and are ready for a graphic novel with not too much print on the page? Check out this new series that is a big hit with kids! Pea confidently rolls around the farm but a sudden downpour disorients him and Pea is lost until he enlists the help of two unlikely char

Letters from Space by Clayton Anderson Illustrated by Susan Batori Picture Book and Mentor Text 32 pages © 2020 Looking for a picture book for your space unit? Look no further! Clayton Anderson spent 152 days in space aboard the International Space Station and that experience is shared in this child friendly picture book. Students are exposed to concepts like velocity, weightless, gravity and its effects on the body, and why the pictures from space help the scientists. As a

Such a Library: A Yiddish Folktale Re-imagined by Jill Ross Nadler Illustrated by Esther Van Den Berg Picture Book and Mentor Text 40 pages © 2020 As a read aloud: This title will keep your students giggling throughout as more and more wild antics are introduced to the "quiet" library. Repetitive language will have students "reading" the book out loud with the teacher. Reading Strategies: This is a great choice for students to predict what the author's next move will be. The

13 Stories About Harris by Amy Schwartz Mentor Text & Picture Book 40 pages © 2020 Some chapters are one or two sentences while other chapters are four pages in length. Lots of white space and illustrations on every page make this a good independent reading choice for first and second graders. This is also a good choice for teachers to use as a mentor text when teaching personal narrative to our youngest writers. Have students notice that the small moments in Harris's life

Ruth Objects: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Doreen Rappaport Illustrated by Eric Velásquez Picture book. 48 pages © 2020 This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's life and includes inspiring quotes. Graduating first in her class at Cornell and tying for the top in her Columbia Law school class, Ruth faced many challenges because she was a woman. She persisted, became a trailblazer for equality, and eventually

Brown by Håkon Øvreås Illustrated by Yvind Torseter Chapter book series 130 pages © 2019 Published in over 32 languages, the award-winning title is an excellent choice for teachers to read aloud to primary students or to recommend to upper elementary and middle grade students as an independent reading choice. Rusty, who just lost his grandfather, is being harassed by the neighborhood bullies. Rusty finds brown paint and uses it to paint his fort but also as a symbol for stren

Big Mouth Elizabeth (Elizabeth Case #2) by Rachel Vail Illustrated by Paige Keiser Easy chapter book 120 pages © 2020 Looking for a chapter book with limited text, lots of illustrations, and a great message? Big Mouth Elizabeth is the second book in this new series. Think Judy Moody and Junie B. Jones series but with easier text. The students in second grade create a club for kids who have started losing their teeth. Elizabeth wants to be in the club but is not allowed as she

Finding François: A Story about the Healing Power of Friendship by Gus Gordon Picture Book 40 pages © 2020 Alice wanted a sibling and then found François and a beautiful friendship begins. A must-read picture book! This is a good mentor text for theme. Guide students to see that the message of the book is how friendships can heal emotional wounds. Also use this for language. Have students listen for and point out the beautiful and descriptive language used throughout. For cha