Rain drops on roses...

First of several "favorites" posts I will be doing throughout the holiday season...!

 

Children's Books.  We all have our favorites.  Children's books are like a teacher's left arm.  Then, there are those unforgettable classics that we ALL know and love.  So, I thought I would share a few of my (not-so-well-known) favorite children's books than can be used in the classroom and across the curriculum.  Each has a great theme that can be used as the basis for a lesson or to accompany another unit.

 

The first think you need to know about my favorites are some of my absolutely favorite children's book authors. 

 

1. Eric Carle (The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Brown Bear/Brown Bear, The Very Quiet Cricket)

          -http://www.eric-carle.com/home.html

 

2. Jon Scieszka (The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, Stinky Cheese Man, Squids Will Be Squids)

          -http://www.jsworldwide.com/

 

3. Mo Willems (Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Knuffle Bunny, Elephant & Piggie)

          -http://www.mowillems.com/

 

Alright, I had to put some thought into this small list.  You have to understand - there are SO many more I would love to include!  But for the sake of length, I chose five books that are more "me" and not as well-known.

 

1. The Stinky Cheese Man by Jon Scieszka

 

-This book is ridiculous.  It's clever, funny, and TOTALLY kid-friendly.  The stories are all based on well-known children's tales, stories, and poems, with a funny twist.  The illustrations are great and very expressive.  Kids always get a kick out of the silly twists and outlandish words.  The book has a great underlying theme of fake vs. real ideas and how to compare/contrast.

 

2. Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard

 

-In this book, when Miss Nelson's class gets out-of-control and disrespects her as their teacher, she goes missing, and a wicked, super-strict witch comes in to substitute - Miss Viola Swamp.  Come on, what teacher can't relate to that?  :)  I have loved this book since I was a youngster myself.  It's suspenseful, funny, and relatable.  Even better?  It's got a GREAT lesson for students to learn about respecting and appreciating their teacher. 

 

 

 

 

3. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

 

-Alexander has it rough.  Nothing goes his way, and things keep getting worse and worse.  Alexander finds MORE and MORE reasons to be upset, and his alternatives keep getting more and more extraordinary.  This book can be a clever tool to use with a group of Negative Nancy's.  You know who I'm talking about already, don't you?  A good attitude can go a long way, and this book is a perfect way to teach that to our students.

 

4. Confessions of a Former Bully by Barbara Coloroso

 

-Unfortunately, we have to fact the truth: bullying is everywhere.  Child-friendly literature about bullying can be a great teaching resource.  I came across this book during some research a year or so ago and love it.  It's a fact-filled book from the perspective of a former bully.  It turns the tables and might just open the eyes of a few miniature bullies in your class.  I will have a LOT more to tell you about Ms. Coloroso later.

 

 

 

 

 

5. Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems

 -One word: ADORABLE.  Mo Willems is a fantastic author with countless adorable, dorky books - right up my alley!  This book is about his real-life daughter, Trixie.  She loses her beloved stuffed animal, Knuffle Bunny.  What kiddo can't relate to that!?   There is a lot of complimentary tools out there, too, including an animated read-aloud that Mo Willems and his daughter read themselves.  Better yet?  There are two sequels!

6. Don't Laugh at Me by Steve Seskin

 

-Bullied kids unite!  This book (with adorable illustrations) is about students who are bullied and how they turn their unfortunate situation around.  What's even better is that proceeds from this book (if you choose to purchase it) goes to Operation Respect - a campaign against bullying.  We can't always stop bullying as teachers, but we can help those students who are bullied feel empowered to stand up for themselves.

 

 

My hope is to share these with the idea that maybe you will be inspired to find your own odd "favorites" or even use some of these in your own classroom!  I love being inspired by fellow teachers and sharing some of the knowledge I've gained throughout my own experiences.