Old and New Faves for the Beginning of the Year

I can't decide. I know of a couple more possibilities of NEW books that I may put in a later post ... but I ask you, oh wise Internet. I'm a little tired of most of these. Any suggestions?



That's Good! That's Bad! by Margery Cuyler

This is one of the first ones we read ... the kids give me thumbs up or down if what is happening to the little boy is good or no ... then we take some red balloons (depending on how prepared I am ... either paper or helium!) and write some GOOD things about library visits on them.


I Took My Frog to the Library by Eric A. Kimmel

I have some stuffed animals that I bring out and we talk about why a hopping frog wouldn't get along too well in the library, or a loud lion or bear, personal space invader hyena, etc. Some years we have had the younger kiddos draw animals on the front of their "library cards" (3X5 index cards with a bar code sticker on the back! At one point I put ribbons around them and wrote their names on the front like a sort of name tag--does anyone else have trouble remembering ALL THE NAMES?--but then I gave up on that because they liked to play with the cards while we were reading and it became more of a distraction than me not being able to remember the name of the little wiggle worm in the third row).


Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen

Can't forget this one. It's a little long to read aloud but it is still a great one for the start of the year in the library. Candlewick has an event kit here. Pretty simple but hey, that's good! Here's another pdf from Oregon Read with some ideas (and a list of related books ... like the Charlie and Lola But Excuse Me, That Is My Book which would be a contender if a student had not disappeared with it a year or two ago. :/ I hope they enjoyed it. May need to replace that one!)


Stella Louella's Runaway Book by Lisa Campbell Ernst

Of course ... FIND A SAFE PLACE TO KEEP YOUR BOOK. I have a little magnetic (similar to flannelboard) version of the story I got from ... oh, drat. Will have to look that up. I think the book is packed away for the summer. Anyway. Then use that to retell the story.



Wild About Books by Judy Sierra

We JUST got an Ipad like two weeks before school was out. So this year I could use the app instead of the book. That would be new and different.





How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills

We also go this app so maybe that would make it new? Plus the new BOOK that will be out to go along with this one. Must check because I cannot remember ... do we have and do I like the Suzy Red related activities?



Dog Loves Books by Louise Yates

Haven't read this one a million times yet so it's still a contender. Love the illustrations. I mean, really I love all of these books. Just looking to switch it up a bit, you know?




Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes by Eric Litwin

I had some kiddos help me make a little video the last couple days of school ... to show the NEW kinders.
Then we haven't done THIS little tour before ... so I can't decide. I'm a little tired of Pete but the kids seem to still enjoy him! We read all of his books multiple times last year. I'm sure I could get the teachers to do this with me.




One that I know I need to do this year because the author will be visiting in early October?

Sea Monster's First Day by Kate Messner

Now to come up with a fun activity to go along with it. Make a sea monster and, depending on age, a little writing?



A couple other possibilities include ...

How to Teach a Slug to Read by Susan Pearson

I got some ideas from HERE for teaching this one. (PS The file name of that activity? Still makes me giggle. Can a slug read "with depth and complexity"? I hope so!)



 Calvin Can't Fly: The Story of a Bookworm Birdie by Jennifer Berne

Haven't figured out what we'd do. But I think it might have potential.



The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this story. We'd read it first and then look at the app? Though again ... what next, I'm not sure. :/



Good thing we still have some planning time, no? #lovesummer




(The little fox is from Scrappin Doodles. The frame is from Teaching my 3 on TPT.)