Top 10 Christmas Reads

One of my friends just asked me to recommend five holiday reads for her family (ages 4 and 7.) This, as you can imagine, was m u s i c to my ears! It would be impossible to narrow it down to five though, so I am going with my top ten! I am doing Christmas, because that is what this family celebrates. Maybe I'll do Hanukkah next!


Please know these are in no particular order. :)
 Silver Packages by Cynthia Rylant
My heart sings just thinking about this beautiful story. "In Appalachia each Christmas, a boy named Frankie waits beside the tracks for the Christmas Train, which will bring presents to the children who live in coal towns and hollows. Year after year, Frankie hopes that one particular gift, a very special gift will be tossed to him from that train. It is this enduring hope that will guide him to the true meaning of the season." THIS IS A MUST READ!!!!


    Santa Mouse by Michael Brown
T and I just picked this up from Bookmiser. Sweet! I had always wondered why some of my firsties would say they were leaving a little cheese for the Christmas mouse. To be honest, I thought maybe a few of their parents were using that to justify the mice in the house. I mean, who am I to judge? Short and sweet story......that will lead to cheese being left out on Christmas Eve!


      Olive, the Other Reindeer by Vivian Walsh
You may know Olive, the friendly pup, from her other book, Olive My Love. Here is an excerpt from the Amazon review, "You won't understand the premise of this book if you've never sung "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," so let's start there. The carol begins, "Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer / had a very shiny nose / and if you ever saw it, / You would even say it glows / All of the other reindeer / used to laugh and call him names / They never let poor Rudolph / join in any reindeer games." If you notice that "all of the other reindeer" sounds suspiciously like "Olive, the other reindeer," you've discovered the source of Olive's adventures! Olive is a dog. But when she hears this holiday tune, a bit of an identity crisis sets in. She decides she must be a reindeer and heads to the North Pole to see if she can join Santa's reindeer team." I couldn't have said it better myself! 
  The Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg
Being a first grade teacher, I am often asked if I believe in Santa Claus. I always say yes. I do, in fact, believe in Santa Claus. To prove this, put a bell in front of me and let me listen to it ring, ring, ring! If you don't know what I am talking about-you need to read this beautiful book. SIDE NOTE: The book is 1,000 times better than the movie! 


   Dream Snow by Eric Carle
I know what you are thinking--'she loves anything by Eric Carle.' You're right. This one though was introduced to me by a kindergartener and I have loved it ever since! Snapshot from Amazon, "It's almost Christmas and it hasn't snowed yet. As the farmer naps on his small farm, he dreams of being covered in a gentle blanket of new snow. Then, one by one, he dreams of each of his five animals (aptly named One, Two, Three, Four, and Five) being covered as well. When he awakens, he discovers that real snow--not dream snow--has fallen. And "Oh my! Oh my! I almost forgot," the farmer shouts, and, bundling up, hurries out to his tree (named Tree) with a box and a sack, looking remarkably familiar in his white beard and red suit. After decorating Tree, the farmer shouts "Merry Christmas to all!" and pushes a button for a surprise Yuletide jingle."

Snowmen at Christmas by Caralyn Buehner
Snowmen at Night was a huge hit in my classroom, so of course, this one is too! T loves almost as much! He laughs and laughs at the silly snowmen on every page. He loves the rhymes and the hidden pictures! Clever, clever artwork! For more snowman action, visit www.wegivebooks.org to read a book online for FREE! 


 The Jolly Christmas Postman, by Janet and Allan Ahlberg
If you have never read the Jolly Postman books, stop what you are doing and RUN, don't walk to the local bookstore! The book is written in rhyme with beautiful word choice. The postman delivers mail to nursery rhyme and storybook characters we all know and love. Must have!


 It's Christmas, David! by David Shannon
I <heart> David Shannon! This simple story is short, sweet, funny and might even be an eye opener for your little one. If nothing else, the pictures will delight!


 Santa Claus the World's Number One Toy Expert, Marla Frazee
A first grade fave! Amazon review, "How does Santa know how to match the exact right toy with the exact right kid every December?

He knows because he's the world's number one kid and toy and gift expert, and he works long, long hours the whole year through, taking notes, compiling his research, thinking and testing and changing his mind. Then, at last, he gets it all figured out, and on Christmas morning, he makes magic happen."

And number 10.......any version of The Night Before Christmas! 

Merry Christmas to you and your readers!

I Love Books!

The teacher geek in me loves books and I am not shy about it. I mean, I love books. I love the way they smell. I love the sound when opening up a new one. I love the look on a child's face when they read their first book, their favorite book, the first book that makes them laugh or cry, and when they read one with such voice and fluency that it makes me laugh or cry. 

The mommy geek in me loves sharing books with T. I love the way he glances at the book and decides instantly if we will read it or not. I love how he laughs and makes noises while I read. I love how he corrects me if the story is not going his way. I just love it.

As an educator and somewhat tech savvy lady, I know a thing or two about computers. I love them, too. I know they have a place in our lives and I know they are fun! I love the convenience of my iPad. I love the look and ease of eReaders. I do not however think they can replace a book. In fact, I KNOW THEY CAN NOT REPLACE A BOOK and here is how I know:

The emotions shared in this less than two minute clip could not have happened with a Kindle/Nook/Cranny/etc. This connection to print is irreplaceable. This small experience is building not only his reading skills, but his love of literature. Kids need to touch books. They need to feel their power. They need to hug them and hold them.

Read with your child. And be sure to throw in real books as often as you can. For more info on reading with toddlers, click here. To read a story online (for free) so a real life book will be passed to children in need, click here. 

P.S. He is reading . (Click here for details!)

Leaf the Rest Behind!

Fall has arrived! T and I are loving it! He is beyond excited about the leaves and prospects of making a leaf pile. Unfortunately, the leaves are too wet! 

We did however, go on a little leaf hunt! He has been listening to "Going on a Bear Hunt" at school, so we of course read the book at home. You can get the book here. It is one on my favorites from my days in kindergarten. T and I followed the same tune and headed out into the wide blue yonder.....the front yard. 

"Oooh! A red one, a green one, a yellow one, a brown one, but where is the orange one? Dis one has a little orange. I like the red one, Mommy. It is bootiful." I mean it was non-stop leaf talking!!! Want a leaf hunt book? Check this out! 

Then came the leaf peek-a-boo! 

Our favorite leaf books:

T likes the colors in this one. My firsties liked making leaf creatures after reading it! All around-this is a must have! (Click the book to find it on Amazon!) I think we all know I'm a Ehlert fan! 

This is another good one! T and I are planning an art project to go along with it! The tree complains that all the other seasons are easy, but fall causes problems. T and the firsties LOVE the illustrations and rhyming text! Get it here for around $10.00. PS Our favorite page is the stripes OR as T says in his loudest toddler voice..."IT HAS STRIPES!!"

Happy fall, ya'll! Remember, no matter how stressful things are, or how full your plate is, "leaf it all behind" and spend time with the ones you love!

Not So Scary Scarecrows

The S family scarecrows~~Mommy, Daddy, T














One of my all time favorite Halloween books is The Little Old Lady Who Wasn't Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams, illustrated by Megan Lloyd. (It is not my absolute favorite-that post is coming soon!)

This book has been a hit with EVERY class I have ever read it to, and is now a big hit with T. Since reading the book, he has become obsessed with scarecrows, pumpkins, and oddly enough-crows. 

What makes this book so fabulous? It is the action! Toddlers, kindergarteners, and first graders need to move. This story invites the reader to join along---Two pairs of pants go wiggle, wiggle. One black hat goes nod, nod. etc. I am actually doing the moves as I type! 

Another great thing about this book is the retelling possibilities. T and I are at the stage where we simply talk about what happens in the story. He usually adds a few things. My firsties love retelling the whole story and last year I even had a kid write their own version! I'm telling you-this book is a 10+!

For around $7.00 on Amazon, it is a steal and will quickly become a family fall favorite!

Spider Experiment!

T loves spiders! I am, however, not a fan!

For about 3 weeks, T waved hello and goodbye to a large banana spider (at least I hope it was a banana spider) who had made its home on the bush right outside of the garage. He watched her eat bugs and occasionally move from one spot to another. He named her "Spidey." When two women came to solicit a vote for their candidate, they were alarmed by our little friend and kindly offered to kill her. AAAH! I told them if they did such a thing, they will be taking the life of my son's pet. :) We all had a good laugh, well, mainly me, but whatever. :)

(Spidey's orb web)

We came home yesterday and the spider was gone! T noticed before I did! I wasn't sure what to do at first. N's response? "Man, I can't believe the fish outlived the spider." I mean, this spider business is serious around our house. T had a thousand questions about where the spider went and if she was coming back one day. We went to sleep singing "Itsy Bitsy Spider."

HAVE NO FEAR! TEACHER MOMMY IS HERE! It all came rushing back to me! When I taught kindergarten, we would "catch spider webs!" I brought home a piece of white construction paper, we picked up a can of black spray paint from the Depot, and got ready for our experiment!

Here is what you do:

1.    Spray paint directly on the web (about 6 inches away.) The paint sticks to the web.
2.    Put the large paper behind the web and pull the paper forward. Don't go too slow! The web sticks to the paper!
3.    Taa da! You have caught a web!

*Black paint works great on white paper. White paint is best on black paper. I have used orange paint, but is not as cool.
*Construction paper works best. I have tried poster board, and it just doesn't stick as well.
*Want to keep it as a decoration? Laminate it!

Needless to say, T loved it! He would touch it, stare at it, touch it again, and ask about each and every little part. We had a few bug remains and leaves-a bonus if you will!

I'll be taking this to school tomorrow to show my firsties. Maybe will inspire my little scientists!

This experiment is easy and fun! Give it a try and let me know how it goes! For more info on spider webs, visit National Geographic Kids!

Nursery Rhyme Fabulous!

I casually placed the Nursery Rhyme Flip Chart book (Scholastic) against the wall in the living room. After dinner, T walked over and said, "HEY! Humpy Dumpy!" That was all it took--my kid was hooked! We read each nursery rhyme (there are 20!) and he wanted more! Not only are the rhymes in large print, with great pictures, the spiral bound book is sturdy. He hugged the large book and then sat on it. I figure that is what almost 2 3/4 year olds do! 

He came back to the book at bedtime and wanted a little more Humpy Dumpy. We read it again and pointed to the words. The mommy in me was happy, the teacher in me was THRILLED!

Could I use this in my first grade classroom? YES! I took it to school yesterday to use as fluency practice for one of my strategy groups. These readers, independently on level C/D, loved reading the familiar text! They were beaming with confidence! I love how the charts have three teaching points at the bottom of each page. I had not thought of some of the ideas (bl- blends with "Little Boy Blue") and I love how quick and easy they are! This really expands the audience for this resource.

If you have a toddler, you want this! If you teach K or 1, you want it, too! You know me with my glows and grows, so here is my grow-I wish this handy, dandy tool had reproducibles. I am not talking worksheets, but a simple white/black version, so my readers could have one "to go." I love when the little version matches the big version. I think it cements learning a little more. :) You could always type them though!

My friends at National School Supply have shared this resource with me and I would love to share with you! 

Follow My Mommy Reads and leave a comment (with your email address.) You will be entered to win your very own Nursery Rhymes Flip Chart for grades PreK-1!! Contest ends Monday, October 10th!

If you just can't wait, visit National School Supply! For $15 bucks, you can't beat it with a stick!

*National School Supply shared a sample product, but I was not paid for this review and all opinions (for better or worse) are my own. Winner will be chosen using Random Number Generator. 

MoNsTeR?!?

T will be 3 in January and so the time is right. The time to share one of my all time favorite (I know I have quite a few) books with him. This is one of the books that I read the very first week of first grade.

Here's how I start the book talk-"Boys and girls, I want to share a book with you and the main character is Grover from Sesame Street." This is met with "what, Sesame Street, is that a board book, blah blah blah." I then say, "I know what you are thinking-Sesame Street is for babies and you are just too old for that. So let's make a deal. If you don't like it when I am done, I will take it home and never ever ever bring it back! Deal?"

Then I read the book and they BEG for me to read it again. Here we are, four weeks into school and they STILL ask me to read the book! "Please don't take it home, please!" :)

Here it is...(click on the pic to visit Amazon)

I just so happen to also have this in board book and on cd! 

Now, this is one of those books that you MUST read before sharing with your child. You must become a Sesame Street character and go for it! You have to act like you are nailing the pages and tying them down and so on! I guarantee a smile from your toddler, your kindergartener, your first grader, and maybe even your spouse! 

There is a sequel, but much like great movies, the second one just doesn't compare.

Still not sold? Check this out! My Mommy Reads (link to T and I reading the book! Push play and enjoy!)

Judy and Eric

That's right, we are on a first name basis-Judy Schachner, Eric Wight, and ME! Sorry, I was dreaming and had to pinch myself! Maybe we are not actually on a first name basis, but I did meet both of them at the Decatur Book Festival over Labor Day. My heart was actually racing upon meeting two of my author heroes! You may be wondering, what have these two geniuses created? Get out your checkbook friends...........

 

You are going to want them all! Judy Schachner is the creator of Skippyjon Jones, named after her very own cat-Skippy.
  and the latest release.....

Skippyjon Jones is a curious little cat who daydreams of being a chee wa wa! (I wish you could hear me saying this in my muy muy best Spanish accent!)

No, no, that's not all! She has a set of early concept books for our toddler friends! Skippy does opposites, colors, shapes, and more! Of course, I have read the real Skippy books to T and he loves them. He claps along and has a blast! I think having both in the classroom would be a great help, as they are a higher reading level and everyone will not be able to read them independently (Oish guided reading level.)

Learn more about Judy (first name basis) here-http://www.judithbyronschachner.com/

Now, what about ERIC?

He writes FRANKIE PICKLE!

This graphic novel series is a big hit with my high readers! I only discovered it at the end of last year! The boys flock to these books and with good reason! The illustrations are amazing, the flow is easy to follow, and the plot keeps you on your toes. They are guaranteed to make you smile! Have I read these to T? Nope. Have I read them to my firsties? Absolutely! 

Learn more about Eric (first name basis) at http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Eric-Wight/46849303amazon.com

I Love Skype!

Tonight, A is having a sleepover with my mom. This means lots of Skype action for she and T! I have said this before, but I say it again-he LOVES A!! She was reading Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School when we called. She read a few pages to T and then he decided to reciprocate. After searching through his piles of books, he picked up his copy of Up In The Sky (an Eric Carle board book from a Chick fil A happy meal) and read it page for page! She was quite impressed! <There is one word per page and it is a label of the picture.>

I love Skype for helping bring my family closer to me, and most importantly-my T! Five years ago, I wouldn't have believed this to be possible! 


As for Amelia Bedelia's First Day of School, I will totally be reading it this year. It is a great introduction to the character that Amelia later becomes. I love Amelia Bedelia and my first graders do, too! She even has her own website! Click here!

One Busy Week!

Wow! One whole week since my last post! Sorry! We are remodeling our house and that is extra special fun when you have a toddler! Here's a quickie favorite that T and I act out on a regular basis-except not on the bed!

Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed, by Eileen Christelow is a classic really. I mean, who doesn't love the 5 little monkeys? T has had years of practice with big sister cousin, A, and is quite the jumper.

He loves that he "knows" the words and asks for this book over and over. I always bop him on the head just for fun and he especially loves that!

Do I have this in my first grade classroom? Of course I do! I am a fan of all things monkey and Christelow! I have the entire series and the kids love them! The familiar characters draw the early readers in and give them the confidence they need to go for it! Hasta luego!

Go, Dogs. Go!

T loves animals and things that move, so Go, Dogs. Go! by PD Eastman is a perfect fit! T is reading the board book version, and I have the regular book in my first grade classroom. This is sometimes the first book a kindergarten or first grader can read independently-so of course I love it! Thinking of them beaming with pride brings a smile to my face as T turns each page. It is a simple book with fun illustrations that is a must have for every preK-primary classroom. It is also a wonderful gift for toddlers.

After we read it together.....

he decided to read it himself!

This video is his post reading jam! Notice his reference to the bicycle, from Go, Dog. Go! He was listening to a little Michael Jackson and well, just being T! 

Eric Litwin and James Dean

"1, 2, 3, weeeeeee" started our evening with Mr. Eric (Eric Litwin) and James Dean at Little Shop of Stories in Decatur. I would guess over a hundred folks came to rock out with the author and illustrator as they debut their latest hit, Rocking in My School Shoes. (Side note-I paid about $18 at the premier, and I love to support local bookstores-but for those of you not in the Atlanta area-and that is the only reason not to go buy this at a bookstore-Amazon has it for less than $12.)

The book is perfect for kids 2 and up! I am reading it with T and will certainly share it with my firsties during back to school. It will be a perfect, fun read aloud to calm the nerves of the back to school season. The illustrations are comforting and pleasing to the eye, sure to keep the audience in tune with the story. I love this book!

 

We danced and clapped and sang until we just couldn't take it anymore! Mr. Eric read his new book to us and the crowd loved it!  While Mr. Eric read and sang, Mr. Dean painted a Pete the Cat masterpiece right before our eyes! I was totally amazed! As T became less interested (remember he is 2 1/2,) he took a book break with my friend Mrs. S. 

T said, "I like Pete the rockstar!" and then he struck a rockstar pose! I love this kid! 

This was my first trip to Little Shop of Stories, but I will absolutely be going back! The employees were gracious hosts and served beer, root beer, and goldfish. How fab is that? It was a mommy's dream! The books are displayed deliciously on the walls and shelves, with artsy designs inviting readers to open the book and ReAd! I literally am counting the days until the Decatur Book Festival! (but that is for another post!)

Check out Little Shop of Stories, you will not be disappointed! http://www.littleshopofstories.com/  Plan to have lunch at one of the super cute eateries close by. Yum! 

Mr. Eric performs at our school each year (see Pete post) and is always a hit. For more about him, the books, and even a  few awesome videos, go to http://www.ericlitwin.com/.

In the words of Pete the Cat, enjoy your weekend, after all-it's all good! 

Trucks, Trucks, and More Trucks!

T loves trucks! I am sure he is not the only toddler boy with this obsession, but he may be the only one obsessed with finding them on the road and in books. As we drive down the road, he yells, "TRUCK!!" followed by, "I need to find one more truck mommy, one more!"

He has one truck book in particular that he loves and returns to often. It is a Dorling Kindersley Reader. These fab books are known in the teaching world as DK Readers. They come in 4 levels, 1-Beginning to Read, 2-Beginning to Read Alone, 3-Reading Alone, and 4-Proficient Reader. Big Machines by Karen Wallace, is a level one-perfect for a toddler and my truck-loving first graders!

Hubby and I are thrilled that T loves books. Watching him get to this phase of pre-reading is helping me understand language development. Being a mommy is absolutely making me a better teacher! 

Check him out "reading" this book!

The Paul Frank "cool dude" shirt is a bonus!

I have many DK Readers in my classroom and was introduced to several more at Teacher's College. Visit their site to see the many options! http://us.dk.com/ I know I am going to invest in a few more of the Star Wars collection, as that continues to be a hot topic with my firsties-even the girls!

Where is the Wild Thing?

Right here! We welcomed him into the world about two and a half years ago! Ha! Our story tonight is one of my all time favorites, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. I think this is one of those "every person in the whole wide world should read this book" books. Agree? It is available in Spanish, too. Yes, I have it in Spanish, and yes, I know I don't speak Spanish. I just love the book. Top ten for sure!

T made monster noises and said the boy was sad. Indeed, he was. Even at 2.5, T gets it. "He wans his mommy." If you have a child, you need this book. It is all about feelings, family, and love. (or at least that is my take on it) My firsties love it for the artwork. They love the jungle in his room. They love the big adventure they all dream about going on. They love (spoiler alert) when he "comes home." We create our own monsters and share this story with our families. I just love it.

I know what you are thinking! Did she see the movie? NO! I absolutely, positively did NOT see the movie and I never will. How do you like that! This book is dear to my heart and I knew the movie would not live up to that expectation! However....I LLooVVee the soundtrack! It is number 5 in my cd changer and I listen to it at least twice a weak. Uh oh, I'm singing now! "Worried Shoes" is my favorite! Click here to hear it!  Beautiful!

Why this book? Why tonight? Because my friend is building a bench for my classroom. It is inspired by this book and I can't stop thinking about how magical it is going to be! Here is a sneak peek.....

To see more of his masterful work, go to https://www.facebook.com/ColorcopiaStudio!

Late Night Snack...and a Book!

T came home from work (with Daddy) a little late this evening. He was having his snack at the table when a book caught the corner of his eye...."I wanna read that one, Mommy!" I passed Buzz Buzz Busy Bees ($6) his way, and away he went into a delightful world of make believe. 

Check out those muscles! Takes after his Daddy!

The book features fuzzy little bees that T loved from the get go! It is a counting book focusing loosely on subtraction (each page has one less bee.) It is a great choice for 2-5 year olds (though not recommended for those under 3.) To be honest, the illustrations are a bit much for my eyes and T's too. It was hard for him to assess what was happening on each page. Don't get me wrong-they are super cute, but a little much! Outweighing the overdone pictures is the biggest plus of the book (in T's opinion)-the buzzing! The book actually buzzes and he just loves it! That means we will return to this book again and again. As annoying as that buzz is, that makes me super happy!

For more info about this book or others by Little Simon, visit www.simonsayskids.com.

Trace and Learn!

"Ooooh, this is a hard book." T is referring to the feel of the book, not the text. However, I think we have all heard that a time or two in our classrooms about the content. :)

Our morning read was a book new to me. It is A is for Apple and it is an interactive Tiger Tales book. We bought it at Target for about eight bucks. I was thinking of its' dual purpose~learning letters for T and the letter tracing/texture features for my developing first grade readers. It was a big hit with T and I have a feeling it will be with my firsties! (He loved it so much he watched Cat in the Hat with it!)

  

What I/we love about this book:

T-lift the flap fun

Mommy-two objects that start with each beginning sound

T-cool pictures

Mommy-repeated text on each page, "__ is for __ and __."

T-the letter T and the letter A

Mommy-the traceable letters we can feel AND the arrows that show you the correct direction

T-the igloo (HE LOVES IT!)

Mommy-the not so obvious pictures, like igloo! These are great for vocabulary building...especially with a curious toddler! 

We are totally going to purchase the number version on our next trip to Target. Do you want to know more about Tiger Tales? I did! Check out their site-http://www.tigertalesbooks.com. Great for toddlers and up!

Guest Reader!

We all have guest readers, Mystery Readers, etc visit our classrooms. In my first grade classroom, we call our guests "Celebrity Readers." The kids love it and so do I! (For more info, check the "teacher action" page of the blog.) I am pleased to be hosting a guest reader of my very own this week. Who might you ask? A, my almost 6 year-old niece.

A will be starting first grade in the fall. That means she is basically like the little monkeys who will be in my class in August. It is like I am getting a glimpse into their pre-me lives! A is a beautiful reader and enjoys it, just like her mommy. Her mommy (my lil' sis) is an avid reader devouring at least two books a day. She reads wayyyy more than I do and actually reads adult lit.  I would rather read children's lit and teacher books and she thinks that is absurd! We make a great pair!

I bought the book, The Kittens ABC the other day as a gift for my mom. The book is oLd! It was published in 1965 and has had lots of love. My sister loved cats and so does my mom and I knew she would just love it!

No surprise here, but A, our in-house animal lover, wanted to read the book! She hugged the book, looked at every page, and talked about what was happening! (My heart skipped a beat!) Then she read to T. She would have read more, but well, he is 2 1/2. :)

I feel certain there will be more buddy reading over the next couple of days. I mean, it is not because I carry books in my bag or anything! :)