I Love That Book! Mrs. Gibbs' Awesome Book Blog for Children

 89. The Snowy Nap, by Jan Brett Brett, J. (2018).  The snowy nap . NY: G.P. Putnam's Sons.   The story is about Hedgie a curious hedgehog.  He is getting sleepier and sleepier as winter approaches. As he scampers off to bed the farm animals insist on sharing him with stories of snow and ice and all the things he’s going to miss as he sleeps. Hedgie decides to stay awake one more night. He curls up in front of the farmhouse. It's freezing outside and he's not in his snug burrow, so Lisa, the farmer’s daughter, brings him into her warm house. Hedgie is able to experience a few days of a glorious winter.  He sees skating on the frozen pond, a sleigh ride and Lisa building a snow man.  Satisfied about his winter experience he happily falls asleep.  Lisa decides that he should go back to the wild, so she takes him to his burrow to sleep for the winter. This is a fun winter story.  Being from the South, my students rarely experience snow.  Thi...

 88. Dad by My Side, by Soosh Soosh. (2018).  Dad by my side.   NY: Little Brown and Company.    This is a sweet story about the relationship between a father and daughter. Whether they're playing make-believe, comforts you when you are sad, making you smile, or warding off monsters under the bed, dads are always there when you need them.  Even when fathers have to go away for a while, they are still there for stories and good night wishes. The father in the book is portrayed as larger-than-life because that is how most children see their fathers, as their giant protectors. This is not a book to teach in a classroom.  I would recommend it to be shared at home because it is so personal.  I didn’t find any teaching resources, but I did include the link of it being read on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9BKshEGsGB8

87. All Are Welcome, by Alexandra Penfold Penfold, A. (2018).  All are welcome.  NY: Alfred A. Knopf.  This story is about a school where children have a place, no matter their background or home life, and are loved and appreciated.   It follows a group of children through a day in their school, where everyone is welcomed with open arms. They play music, and do art.  They study together, eat together, and play together.  There is even a science fair!  They have a festive celebration for Chinese New Year.  All are accepted.  It is the kind of lessons we want our children to learn to help make the world a better place.  If you are open minded and want your children to learn about different home-life situations, then this is a great book to teach differences.  It is simple and has a fun rhyme.   If you are more on the conservative side, be warned, it has a Lesbian couple as the parents of one of the students and on...

86. The Bad Seed, by Jory John John, J. (2017).  The bad seed .  NY: Harper. This is the story of a bad seed. He has a bad temper, bad manners, and a bad attitude.  This seed cuts in line every time, stares at everybody and never listens. He didn’t start out as a bad seed.  He was born on a sunflower.  When the flower dropped its seeds, he was collected and packaged.  At a baseball game a giant almost ate him but spit him out in the nick of time.  Sense then he has been bad. But what happens when one mischievous little seed changes his mind about himself, and decides that he wants to be—happy?  He begins to change one step at a time.  Other seeds begin to notice.  This story is a funny yet touching tale that reminds us of the remarkably transformative power of will, acceptance, and just being you.   It proves that positive change is possible for each and every one of us no matter how bad we were before! I found an activity ...

 85. Princesses Wear Pants, by Savanna Guthrie and Allison Oppenheim Guthrie, S. and Oppenheim, A. (2017).  Princesses wear pants . NY: Abrams Books for Young Readers. The story follows Princess Penelope Pineapple, who knows how to get the job done while staying true to herself. Princess Penelope lives in a beautiful palace with a closet full of beautiful dresses, but she prefers to wear pants.  What she wears each day depends on which job she has to do.  If she is exercising, she wears her yoga pants.  If she is gardening, she wears her overalls. If she is commanding the royal air force, she is wearing her sequined flight suit.  If you find her at the Pineapple Science Fair, she is wearing pants with her lab coat. Not everyone in the Pineapple Kingdom thinks pants are always appropriate princess attire. When the grand Lady Busyboots demands that Princess Penelope must wear a gown to the annual Pineapple Ball, the young royal finds a clever way to expre...

8 4. Llama Llama Loves to Read, by Anna Dewdney and Reed Duncan. Dewdney, A. and Duncan, R. (2018).  Llama Llama loves to read . NY: Viking.  Llama Llama is going to school and learning to read.   Throughout the school day ,  the teacher helps Llama Llama and the other children practice their letters and do word flash cards.  The teacher reads stories and brings them to the library where they can all choose a favorite book.  Llama Llama is recognizing words and wants to show Mama Llama that he's becoming a reader.  This story has a nice rhythm and is fun to read out loud.   This and other Llama Llama books are good for beginner readers or struggling readers because of the simple vocabulary and the rhyming words.  I found a lesson plan using several of the Llama Llama books.   Students read different Llama Llama books in groups and compare/contrast them to other books.  Students will focus on the illustrations, prose, ...