PB10for10! - A Mix of Favorites

Cathy Mere of Reflect and Refine: Building a Learning Community and Mandy Robek of Enjoy and Embrace Learning host this wonderful tradition, the annual #PB10for10, 10 "must have" picture books for the classroom. Get your library site open, or your list of books to buy!
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     Thank you Mandy and Cathy for doing this for the 5th year!

           I tried to think of a theme to share, and then I tried to do only certain kinds of books, but I checked the past lists, and I was repeating too much. Today I'll share some old favorites, a few recent ones that "perhaps" you haven't read, and one that hasn't even been published yet, but I know it'll be great.  Here's my list, and the ways I use them, or will use them. 
          Also, except for the final one, I'm not going to comment on the illustrations. Each book in its own way has been illustrated beautifully, and that art is an integral part of what makes the books we choose shine.

      For use in writing workshop: Sometimes it's good to choose a topic, to show students that writing about a common topic can show the diversity of our opinions, and we learn so much about each other.  Bookspeak, Poems About Books is a great mentor text for celebrating point of view. Laura Purdie Salas shares her lovely poems in both different structures and different kinds of ways to look at writing. A favorite is her poem about the sadness of being the book's "middle" instead of being "first" or "last". 

It's Monday!!

Monday Reading - After 2 weeks! 

It's Monday! What are you Reading? is hosted by Jen at TEACH.MENTOR.TEXTS.  And shared with Ricki and Kellee at UNLEASHING READERS.   

         And, also visit Sheila at BOOK JOURNEYS for more reviews. 

 Tweet! at #IMWAYR

      It's been two weeks since I posted, so have more than usual to share.  Thanks to Jen, Ricki and Kellee for hosting!

picture books

       All the picture books I’ve reviewed today came from my list made during the PB 10for10 in August.  What a wonderful group of books people recommended!  I’ve been ordering them from my library bit by bit (actually book by book)!

Tell Me The Day Backwards – written by Albert Lamb and illustrated by David McPhail

             This is another of those sweet books with bears, this time a going-to-bed book where the mother bear do go backwards through the day until the little bear is asleep.  Very nice to hear the story and to see McPhail’s drawings, lovely watercolor with a bit of ink outlining.  It will be fun to see who can remember ‘backwards’.

Not Last night, But The Night Before - written by Colin McNaughton and illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark

              Written in rhyme, this book shows a little boy in pajamas, getting ready for bed when all sorts of story characters come knocking at his door, sometimes knocking him down, sometimes spinning him around, and so on.  There’s a good surprise on every page, like the man in the moon and Goldilocks (and her three bears), and so on.  But the biggest surprise comes at the very end.  Fun book filled with laughter in the story and seeing the action portrayed so well in the illustrations by Emma Clark. 

Beware of The Frog - written and illustrated by William Bee

             Poor sweet old lady Mrs. Collywobbles protects herself from the scary things that come out of the big and dark wood she lives near with a pet frog.  This story is just outlandish, but the events that occur cause a large open mouth of surprise every time something DOES come out of the forest to “get” Mrs. Collywobbles.  And like another recent review, there is a bigger surprise at the end.