The Spelling Bee Before Recess

I know not all schools do Spelling Bees. Ours happens to so it is fun to see a book that celebrates spelling! "The Spelling Bee Before Recess" by Deborah Lee Rose is fun romp through words and rhymes.  The "Slugger" is one of the two finalists and has a battle on his hands. Smart Ruby is matching his spelling word for word.

"We spelled  reindeer and rumpus

 and llama and laugh.
Echo and gecko
 and ghost and giraffe.
The sweat from my armpits
 was starting to show,
while Ruby looked cooler
than new-fallen snow."

I am not going to tell you who wins but when the loser is bemoaning the fact they lost the Librarian makes it (almost) better by saying...

"So in spelling (and life)
if you want to succeed,
the best things of all you can do
is to READ."

How could I not love this book!

Eddie Gets Ready For School

David Milgrim has created a very simple and cute story about back to school.

Do you like checklists?

 I find I have to write things down in order to remember them and so does Eddie in "Eddie Gets Ready for School".  Eddie has quite an extensive list of things to do.

The first is  "Wake Up" of course. However, Eddie gets a little carried away and uses a bullhorn to make sure his parents are awake.

The second is " Have a healthy breakfast" and here Eddie has a bowlful or actually table full of honey flakes to start him on his way.

"Watch cartoons" and "Drink root beer" are also on his list as well as "Turn off TV this instant!

It would be fun to compare lists!

My New Teacher and Me!

"My New Teacher and Me" by Al Yankovic and Illustrated by Wes Hargis makes you think!

"I'll bet every great thinker
and leader we've got
Could see all kinds of things
other people could not?"

See?



Billy is a small boy with a big imagination. Is that good or bad?
Mr. Booth is a serious teacher with a strict lesson plan. Is that good or bad?

When Billy arrives at school late with a very far fetched tale his teacher is not amused. Until Billy tells him the above statement and adds...

"So then why get upset if somebody like me
Tries to look at the world just a bit differently?"

And a picture slips from Billy's pocket that exemplifies what Billy is trying to tell Mr. Booth.

Sometimes it takes the voice of a child.

Clark the Shark

Another very cute story that would be good to read to our young students is "Clark the Shark" by Bruce Hale and Illustrated by Guy Francis.

Clark loves school but, alas, like many students new to school, he is a little exuberant. For Clark that means shouting "school is awesome" while everyone else is trying to read quietly and it means bellowing "recess rocks" when the other kids are trying to play carefully.  He is too loud and too wild. The other kids began to stay away from him. 

Clark's teacher gave him some good advice. "Sometimes the rule is stay cool."

That was not an easy thing for Clark to do until he realized that in order to help him remember he could make a rhyme. So the next time Clark wanted to bounce out of his seat he told himself, "When teacher's talking, don't go walking".  And it worked..... most of the time!

Back to School

                        It is hard to believe that another summer has come and gone but there are

back-to-school things everywhere, the days are getting shorter and there really is a fall feeling in the air. Another sign of back to school is, of course, all the new books out that celebrate school. I already have a favourite!

"Rufus Goes to School" by Kim T. Griswell and illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev is adorable! The story begins with Rufus Leroy Williams III turning the pages of his favourite book. He couldn't read so he made up the stories to go along with the pictures.
( Don't you love this already?)

Rufus knew that he could learn to read at school. But he also knew, in order to go to school, he needed a backpack.

So with his brand new backpack off he went except there was one small problem. Rufus was a pig! The principal said, "No pigs in school!" ..... because they track mud in the halls, turn drawings into airplanes, play leapfrog, start food fights... well, you get the picture. Even after getting a lunchbox and a blanket the answer was still no.

But when Rufus held up his favourite book and said, "I want to read it", Principal Lipid smiled and said "That makes a difference".

Rufus loved everything about school but most of all because it gave him room to dream.

My Best Friend is as Sharp as a Pencil

I love finding amazing books... and I love "My Best Friend is as Sharp as a Pencil" by Hanoch Piven. How could you not love a book where our creative kid asks....

"What is the most fun part about school?

Going to the library!

Listening to Mrs. Sheila, the librarian is as exciting as rubbing a magic lamp.

She is as interesting as a book full of stories.

When she reads them, her eyes shine like marbles.

She can be as funny as a clown

or as scary as a monster."



The very creative kid describes all sorts of things at school with such wonderful comparisons... this is a book that all teachers should have at their disposal all the time! Listening teachers?

Some Helpful Tips for a Better World

This is simply wonderful!

"Some Helpful Tips for a Better World" by Rebecca Doughty is about making the most of your life. Sounds easy and it is. We just have to take the time to remember them and of course create a few of our own. Here is a sampling...

Begin each day by making funny faces in the mirror.

Why?

I think because it reminds us not to take things too seriously. It makes us laugh and laughter always helps us to feel better.


Invent occasions for celebrations.

Why?

Who doesn't like to celebrate? If sure beats complaining!

Be a hero.

You are a hero if you help a chick across a path (or a lost dog find its owner). Easy and doesn't it make you feel better?

Can hardly wait to share this one. And I adore the pictures.... redheaded girl plus grey cat = Alison and Lulu