Why I Picked It Up At first, I picked it up because it was on the Lone Star Reading list, but I got really excited when I realized it was about the Queen of Hearts. I LOVE Alice in Wonderland, but I am obsessed with the Queen of Hearts. If you know me, you know […]
Book Review: Jabari Jumps, by Gaia Cornwall
Why I Picked It Up I am always on the hunt for mentor texts that all students can relate to and this one fits that to a tee! And of course, the front cover had me from the beginning! Why I Finished It Of course you have to finish it to see if Jabari actually […]
7 Mentor Texts for Creating Classroom Rules
The conversation about classroom rules is a natural place to integrate social studies and literature. See if one of these seven mentor texts will become a new favorite in your class!
Book Review: Charlie Cook’s Favorite Book, by Julia Donaldson
Why I Picked It Up: In preparation for Picture Books as Mentor Texts (a session I presented this summer!), I searched for different organizational structures in fiction and found this gem! First, I was attracted to the pictures because they provided an odd sense of childhood comfort. Why? I finally realized that it was because […]
Book Review: Prince and Pirate by Charlotte Gunnufson
Why I Picked It Up: If you know me, you know I am on an octopus/sea life kick. I tend to fixate for a short amount of time and then I’m off in a drastically different direction. So, Prince and Pirate is part of my sea life kick. Plus, it had a pirate fish on […]
Book Review: Refugee by Alan Gratz
Why I Picked It Up: Refugee by Alan Gratz was chosen for two Texas Library Association lists: The Lone Star List and The Bluebonnet List! I didn’t even know that was possible. The other reason I chose Refugee from the suggested lists was the timely topic of refugees and how people react. Why I Finished It: The only […]