The Snatchabook and The Gruffalo

This week was recovery week from the book fair and of course our school was used as a voting site for election day so I was out another day for library this week. With in-class library and trying to get back on schedule, I picked two AMAZING favorites.

The Snatchabook is an adorable mystery by Helen and Thomas Docherty. Someone is stealing all the bedtime stories and it must come to a stop! Read along to find out who's the culprit and if the stories ever get returned to their rightful owners.

And of course, more Julia Donaldson splendor with The Gruffalo. Most of the kids had already read it but they didn't mind another round and Netflix also has a beautiful cartoon to go along with this one! In true librarian's fashion, we read the book first and then watch the 'toon! 

You cannot help but love this little brown mouse and the humor and picture are so delightful!

Happy Halloween Books

I have been totally slacking and I apologize. This month has been very hectic and I am now in the middle of my school's book fair so the chaos continues! 

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays so whenever I see a fun Halloween book, I must have it! This year we read some new and old classics.

My absolute favorite from Julia Donaldson is Room on the Broom.

Netflix has the BEST cartoon to go along with this story - it is adorable!

Crankenstein by Samantha Berger shows how all little children become a Crankenstein every once in a while. I let the kids make sound effects and they love the grumpy pictures.

Shivery Shades of Halloween by Mary McKenna Siddals has every creepy, crawly description of all things spooky. While I may have left out some words like bloody and snotty, the kids didn't seem to mind!

Monster Mash by David Catrow is word for word the lyrics from the song. Since I totally ran out of time, I didn't get the chance to play the song and follow along in the book with the kids, but that just means I'll get to use it next year!

Happy Halloween!!

Mother Bruce & Are You My Mother?

I thought about saving these titles for Mother's Day but once I started flipping through the pages, I couldn't help myself and had to read them this week! 

Mother Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins is absolutely adorable and one of my favorites to read. It's about a bear who was preparing some eggs to eat on the stove when the eggs hatch, mistaking Bruce the bear as their mother. It does have some funny comments about being organic and other little quirks that are more for the adults, but the kids look right past it and see nothing but silly babies and a big black bear!

Most days the kids are wiggly and chatty but they were so into the books this week! They were laughing and having a great time.

And can you believe that Are You My Mother was published in 1960?! Can you believe that a book without bright coloring and new pictures can still be loved and enjoyed by kids today! Well beeeeelieve it! 

The kids were cracking up when they heard all the animals and the airplane and the SNORT! being asked if they were the mother to this baby bird! The mistaken motherly identities of these two go hand in hand.

All About Man's Best Friend

Last week we read about dogs! The kids love to talk about whether they own a dog, or a cat, or sometimes a magical unicorn that they rode to school... so they could definitely relate to the books this week!

Aaron Meshon shows comparisons of what the best day ever looks like between a dog and his girl! 

When I saw this one at the book fair last year, I had to have it! It is a short one but tricks the reader a time or two. An easy and enjoyable read for littles!

How Do You Hug a Porcupine & Cuddle

I didn't realize until after the kids had gone, but they all greeted me with hugs today on the same day I had planned books about hugs! Is there a more perfect way to start the day?

When I read these to the kids today, they immediately began to hug their neighbors! It was so precious and they loved the books! I have a hard time not laughing too loud at some of the silly things they do and say sometimes. After a really crummy day yesterday, the innocence of hugging and silly sayings was just what I needed! 

This story, by Laurie Isop, is all about discovering how to hug a prickly creature! It gives lots of examples of animals we can hug. After reading about chicks, one of the sweetest little boys in the class raised his hand and said that he got to babysit some baby chicks and that he read them a bedtime story before bed. I just about melted to the floor! 

This book, by Beth Shoshan, is about hugging or "cuddling" too. It also gives animal examples as well, so the two went perfectly together! It does say some funny things like a tiger would bite your head off haha but the kids loved it! 

Monsters Love Underpants

Bright colored monsters and frilly, silly underpants this week! The book Monsters Love Underpants by Claire Freedman and Ben Cort is great for readers of all ages. The school I work at has a variety of nationalities and languages spoken in it. In one particular class, there is a student who spoke zero English but was intrigued by the great pictures and fun story line. We all laugh in the same language! 

 

The second book we read to go along with our "monster" week was A Monster is Coming by David L. Harrison. Is there such thing as a monster book with no monster in it? Read to find out! 

Give a hoooooot for good books!

I know some of us hate the end of summer. It means back to school, less barbecue's, less pool time and less sunshine. For me, it means pretty colors on the trees, cooler temperatures (sometimes) and PUMPKINS, PUMPKINS, PUMPKINS. I am arguably one of the biggest reasons for all those pumpkin spice memes you are seeing all over the place right now!

Today at school we are jumping into Autumn and while I know the official first day of fall isn't until September 22, I like to get a head start. :) We are reading Good-night, Owl by Pat Hutchins and The Little White Owl by Tracey Corderoy and Jane Chapman. While it may seem the only thing these two titles have in common are owls, they both have something to learn about. One is silly with owls munching on toast and jam and teaches about acceptance. The other is fun in teaching about the animals that keep owl up in the day time until the night falls and the owl is the only one awake because he is nocturnal!

I  am always shocked to find out how much kinders know. I am looking forward to seeing how many already know what nocturnal means! It is a perfect time to focus on changing in the seasons, animal habitats and upcoming holidays!