Picture Book of the Day

Nonfiction Monday: The Best of Pro Baseball

asuen — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:06:06 +0000

The Best of Pro Baseball by Matt Doeden (Author) shares 10 “bests!”

Best Catch

No player has matched “The Catch” by Willie Mays. He made it in game one of the 1954 World Series.

Sentence Fluency Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own “personal bests” paragraph. Remind them to use complete sentences. After the pages are edited, make a class book!

This week’s Nonfiction Monday Round-up is at Abby (the) Librarian.

Literacy Links

Poetry Friday: Thanksgiving Rules

asuen — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:17:15 +0000

In Thanksgiving Rules by Laurie Friedman (Author) and Teresa Murfin (Illustrator), Percy shares his secrets…

I get the most out of my holidays.
I promise, you can too.
Just follow my simple rules.
That’s all you have to do.

Voice Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own “Thanksgiving Rules.” Will they use the “I” voice, the (first person point-of-view) when the character speaks, like this story did? Or will they use the third person point-of-view), the “he or she” voice?

Literacy Links

My Parents Are Divorced, My Elbows Have Nicknames, and Other Facts About Me

asuen — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 06:14:42 +0000

My Parents Are Divorced, My Elbows Have Nicknames, and Other Facts About Me by Bill Cochran (Author) and Steve Bjorkman (Illustrator) begins…

Hi. My name is Ted and my parents are divorced. But that doesn’t mean I’m weird.

Word Choice Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write about their unique qualties. Use the Idea Wheel graphic organizer to make a list.

Literacy Links

Duck for Turkey Day

asuen — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:12:31 +0000

Duck for Turkey Day by Jacqueline Jules (Author) and Kathryn Mitter (Illustrator) begins…

To get ready for Thanksgiving, Tuyet’s class sang turkey songs, They made pinecone turkeys. They talked about Pilgrims and Native Americans.

Organization Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own version of this story. What will they eat for Thanksgiving? Use the Story Map 3 graphic organizer to plan the new story.

For a weekly themed list of books for young readers, subscribe to my 5 Great Books blog.

Literacy Links

Henry’s Night

asuen — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:10:23 +0000

Henry’s Night by D. B. Johnson (Author, Illustrator) and Linda Michelin (Author) is written as a journal.

July 12

I cannot sleep.

The sounds of the village
keep me awake.

Sentence Fluency Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own journal entries. Remind them to use complete sentences.

Literacy Links

Nonfiction Monday: The Obama Family in Pictures

asuen — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:07:42 +0000

The Obama Family in Pictures by Jane Katirgis (Author) begins…

On August 28, 2008, Barack Obama accepted the nomination to run for president. More than a year later, after campaigning across the country, he won the election.

Organization Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Tomorrow is Election Day again. Ask students to write their memories of what they were doing during last year’s presidential elections. Use the Time Line graphic organizer to organize the events.

This week’s Nonfiction Monday Round-up is at Books Together Blog.

Literacy Links

Poetry Friday: Clang! Clang! Beep! Beep!: Listen to the City

asuen — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:13:00 +0000

Clang! Clang! Beep! Beep!: Listen to the City by Robert Burleigh (Author) and Beppe Giacobbe (Illustrator) begins…

Alarm clock ringing,
Eardrums stinging…

Word Choice Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own “noisy” poem. Use the Describing Wheel graphic organizer to create a list of noisy items and their sounds.

Literacy Links

Blog Review Policy
Copyright © 2009 Anastasia Suen All Rights Reserved.

Bobby Bramble Loses His Brain

asuen — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 06:08:14 +0000

In Bobby Bramble Loses His Brain by Dave Keane (Author) and David Clark (Illustrator), Bobby’s mother warns him…

“Bobby Anthony Bramble, get down from there!” ordered his mother. “You’ll fall down and crack your head open like Humpty Dumpty.”

Conventions Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own “lost brain” story. Remind them to add quotation marks to any dialogue.

Literacy Links

The Hungry Ghosts

asuen — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 06:05:53 +0000

The Hungry Ghosts by Julius Lester (Author) and Geraldo Valerio (Illustrator) begins…

It was night when the only creature out and about was Miss Big Eyes, who is also known as Sister Owl.

Organization Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Ask students to write their own version of this story. What will they feed the hungry ghosts? Use the Story Map 3 graphic organizer to plan the new story.

For a weekly themed list of books for young readers, subscribe to my 5 Great Books blog.

Literacy Links

Bear-ly There

asuen — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 06:02:26 +0000

In Bear-ly There by Rebekah Raye, a bear wakes up hungry…

Suddenly a bear poked his head out of his winter den.

Ideas Mini-lesson
Primary/Intermediate: Use these lesson plans and then ask students to write a new “bear” story. Or write about the “wild” animals in your neighborhood, and how you can keep them safe.

BLOG TOUR BONUS! The publisher will draw 9 lucky winners from all of those who leave comments on the participating tour posts from (October 16-30) to win one of the following prizes:

- A set of four art cards (2 sets available)
- A signed wildlife art print
- An original sketch from Bear-ly There
- An original sketch from The Very Best Bed
- An original sketch from Thanks to the Animals
- A copy of Bear-ly There, The Very Best Bed, or Thanks to the Animals, signed by Rebekah Raye

TWITTER PRIZE
Everyone that participates in the Twitter Book Party, and/or posts anything about the tour using the hashtag #BearlyThere from October 15-30 will be entered to win a complete set of Bear-ly There, Thanks to the Animals, and The Very Best Bed, all signed by Rebekah Raye.

Winners will be announced on Oct. 31, US/Canada addresses only, please.

Literacy Links