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I was a kid running wild and free in the 1970s, and I find myself intrigued with the fiction written these days that takes place during that time period. It's a convenient time period, for sure. By this I mean that technology hadn't yet tethered us to our parents, and I'm assuming that most kids were like my sister and I -- running around the neighborhood and beyond with friends and coming home when we got hungry.

Raymie is a girl who isn't really noticed much by her parents. Her father has actually just up and left with a dental hygienist and Raymie's mom is spending her time staring into space. Raymie finds some comfort in neighbor Mrs. Borkowski who seems to know everything and always has time to talk to Raymie. She has also hatched a plan to get her father to come home.

Raymie has decided that she will enter and win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire 1975 pageant. This will result in her picture in the newspaper. Her dad will be so proud of her, he'll have to come home. When Raymie tells her dad's secretary her plan, Mrs. Sylvester says Ramie just has to learn to twirl the baton as her talent.  This is how she ends up at Ida Nee's place for twirling lessons along with Beverly Tapinski and Louisiana Elefante -- two girls who couldn't be more different from one another.

Louisiana is a wheezy and delicate girl, prone to swooning, while Beverly is the tough talking daughter of a cop who swears that she's seen things. In between these two, Raymie Clarke is a steadfast girl just doing her best to understand others.

Over the next few days, Louisiana dubs their trio the Rancheros, and even though Beverly refuses to live by the moniker, it becomes clear that Louisiana often gets her way. As the girls search for Louisiana's beloved cat, perform good deeds, experience loss, and do a little breaking and entering along the way, they slowly reveal their worries to one another.  They become tied together by the brokenness that surrounds them.

As always, DiCamillo leaves poetry on the page. But this book felt different to me. I was talking to a colleague about it and I noted that it felt like it had a big dose of Horvath in the pages. Some have said the girls are too quirky and almost derivative. I disagree. When you look closely, kids are weird. And if they allow themselves to be honest with who they are, Beverlys and Louisianas and Raymies are completely reasonable. Trying to mend neglect with toughness or fantasy is innately human. I really enjoyed this quiet and quirky summery read. I do wonder at today's kids sitting with the 1975 setting. I'm interested in their feedback.

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August means slow, lazy summer days combined with the back-to-school scramble. Plan out your month with these book recommendations and resources to take you from here through September:

Sammy Lee’s Birthday-August 1
Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds

International Friendship Day-August 2
Armando and the Blue Tarp School
Awakening
Bein’ With You This Way
Cat Girl’s Day Off
Cooper’s Lesson
David’s Drawings
Destiny’s Gift
Featherless
First Come the Zebra
Galaxy Games: The Challengers
Ink and Ashes
It Doesn’t Have to be This Way
Jay and Ben
Jazz Baby
Juna’s Jar
King for a Day
Night Golf
Rainbow Joe and Me 
Rebellion
Rent Party Jazz
Sharing Our Homeland
Soledad Sigh-Sighs
Tankborn
The Can Man
The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen
The Legend of Freedom Hill
The Monster in the Mudball
The Piano
Up the Learning Tree

Olympics- August 5-August 21
Surfer of the Century
Galaxy Games: The Challengers
Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path
Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds

Duke Kahanamoku’s Birthday-August 24
Surfer of the Century

Back to School-August/September
As Fast As Words Could Fly
Amelia’s Road
Armando and the Blue Tarp School
Babu’s Song
Capoeira
David’s Drawings
Destiny’s Gift
Drumbeat in Our Feet
Elizabeti’s School
Etched In Clay
First Day in Grapes
Howard Thurman’s Great Hope
How We Are Smart
Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path
My Teacher Can Teach…Anyone!
Only One Year
Richard Wright and the Library Card
Seeds of Change
The Storyteller’s Candle
Su Dongpo: Chinese Genius
Tofu Quilt
Up the Learning Tree
Willie Wins
Yasmin’s Hammer
Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree

International Friendship Day:
Happy Friendship Day from Lee & Low Books!
The Best Cheerleaders May Come in Small Packages: How Siblings Affect Literacy Education

Back to School:
Why Do We Need Diverse Books in Non Diverse Schools?
How Common Core’s Book Choices Fail Children of Color
Choosing the World Our Students Read
Where to Find Culturally Diverse Literature to Pair With Your Required Curriculum
10 Ways to Use Instagram in the Classroom
3 Books for the First Three Weeks of School
11 Educator Resources for Teaching Children About Latin American Immigration and Migration
11 Books on Latin American Immigration and Migration
10 Best Strategies for Reading to Kids in Spanish
13 Scary YA Books: Diverse Edition
7 Tips to Help Make Reading with Your Child This Year Achievable
5 Strategies to Help Parents Navigate Lexile
7 Strategies to Help Booksellers and Librarians Navigate Lexile
8 Strategies to Help Educators Explain Lexile and Invest Stakeholders
10 Ways Teachers Can Support Parents and Cultivate Student Success
10 Myths About Teaching STEM Books and How You Can Teach STEM in Your Classroom Now
Using Infographics in the Classroom to Teach Visual Literacy
Using Dual Language and Bilingual Books in First and Second Grade
Using Dual Language and Bilingual Books in Third and Fourth Grade
Using Picture Books to Teach and Discuss Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera with Students
How to Teach Close Reading Using a Recipe
Why Literacy Teachers Should Care About Math
Why I Love to Read Sad and Dark Books to Children (and You Should Too)
Student Book Review: Seeds of Change
Character Education, Part 1: How To Choose Books for Core Value Study
Character Education, Part 2: How to Teach Core Values to Kids Meaningfully
Strategies for Teaching ELL’s in Elementary and Middle School: Part 1
Strategies for Teaching ELL’s-Part 2: Choosing A Text and Vocabulary Words
Strategies for Teaching ELL’s-Part 3: Teaching Vocabulary in Layers
Strategies for Teaching ELL’s-Part 4: Writing, Speaking, & Listening Practice
How to Compare and Contrast with the Common Core in Kindergarten
How to Compare and Contrast with the Common Core in First Grade
How to Compare and Contrast with the Common Core in Second Grade
How to Compare and Contrast with the Common Core in Third Grade
How to Compare and Contrast with the Common Core in Fourth Grade
How to Compare and Contrast with the Common Core in Fifth Grade

What are your favorite August reads? Let us know in the comments!

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Wait. You're staying how long?

Nighty, night. Sleep tight.

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Pia Ceres is LEE & LOW’s summer intern. She is a recipient of the We Need Diverse Books Internship Program grant. She’s a rising senior at Brown University, where she studies Education & Comparative Literature, with a focus in French literature. When she’s not reading, you can find her watching classic horror movies from under a blanket, strumming pop songs on her ukulele, and listening to her grandparents’ stories about the Philippines. In this blog post, she talks about her first book fair with LEE & LOW BOOKS.

By morning, a sticky summer swelter had set in, but the anticipation was unmistakable, electric in the air. They would be coming soon. Across two blocks, along 135^th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard, booksellers, authors, and representatives from nonprofits fussed with tents and paraphernalia. Somewhere I couldn’t see, a live jazz band began to practice; its strident trumpet blared the beginning of a celebration. In moments, the hot asphalt would be teeming with families and lovers of literature from around the country gathering for the Harlem Book Fair.

The Harlem Book Fair is the largest African-American book fair in the country. With the aim of celebrating literacy within the Black community, the fair, held annually, offers a full day of presentations and rows of exhibition booths. Although it kicked off its 18^th successful year last Saturday, this was my very first time participating in a book fair. Helping Keilin and Jalissa represent LEE & LOW and sell some of our books, I was open to every possibility.

The challenge came early on: Someone asked me to find a book for her niece, then added, “She hates reading.” Yikes. Sounds like a tall order, but not surprising. Most of the educators and families who stopped by our booth were concerned that their kids didn’t see themselves in the books assigned at school. It reminded me of when I was a kid and had to read about primarily white boys and the wilderness or dogs or something. For this woman, I suggested The Hula-Hoopin’ Queen. Maybe, I hoped, this would be the book that would start to change things.

At a book fair, one sees firsthand that books, particularly children’s books, are a meaningful part of relationships – an aunt wishing her niece a story that reflects her. I spoke with a dad who wanted an exciting bedtime story; a soon-to-be teacher, eager to fill her first classroom with books as diverse as her students; a mom who wanted to share her native language, and her young daughter who wanted to read it. As I listened to people’s requests, the book fair revealed a striking truth: For a lot of folks, books are expressions of love.

Of course, the day ended with a sudden and cinematic downpour, with jabs of wind that caused our white tent to take to the air like a storm-battered sail and had Keilin, Jalissa, and I drenched, scrambling to protect the books! Because if any day reminded us that books are precious, it was this one.

If books bridge worlds, then book fairs are a space for bridging those connections. The Harlem Book Fair allows diverse stories to come into people’s hands and helps create a world-full of readers – reflected, interconnected, loving and loved.

 

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to the movie theatre to see it again and again. Of course movies were cheaper back then!

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A Clatter of Jars by Lisa Graff
Read by Ellen Archer
2016, Listening Library

Quirky magical realism.
Read my full review at AudioFile Magazine.

A Clatter of Jars is Lisa Graff's follow up to 2013's, A Tangle of Knots.  I reviewed A Tangle of Knots in 2013, and declared, "If you read no other middle grade fiction book this year, you will have made a good choice." The magic doesn't wear off in A Clatter of Jars, a deftly woven, magical realism story set in the same world as the preceding book, where many people possess Talents - from the mundane (ability to understand frogs) to the powerful (telekinesis).  I particularly enjoyed this story because it features a boy who we may assume has some sort of spectrum disorder, and it has a subtle Lord of the Rings reference.

I often tell kids at the library that it's OK to start with a second book in a series if the first book is unavailable. (I don't like to see them go home empty-handed!)  Most authors do a fine job of catching the reader up on prior events.  However, because of the rich details of the world Lisa Graff has created, A Clatter of Jars is best read after A Tangle of Knots.


An audio excerpt from A Clatter of Jars and my review for AudioFile Magazine may be found here. [http://www.audiofilemagazine.com/reviews/read/114587/a-clatter-of-jars-by-lisa-graff/]

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also... it's not all about me

Today is the last day of my first year in second grade.  It brought some surprises, and then other surprises came from without and within. Small tumults.

Tonight it's storming; the sky dogs are baying.

Now summer drifts up like a watermelon boat, a banana hammock hung from broccoli trees, and I will get in.

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Families that include those with special needs can sometimes struggle with finding inclusive programming. Librarians often feel pressure to provide programming exclusively for special populations. But that’s not necessarily the case. Just having an open and welcoming atmosphere can be all that it takes to make your current programs accessible for everyone.  Are you doing what you can to offer programs for all children? Don’t know where to start?

As a programmer, ask yourself the following questions:

The location of the program-

Are the rooms bright and cheerful without being overwhelming with too many sights and sounds? A calm environment is important for children with sensory issues.

Is light distributed evenly? This is important for children with low vision.

Is the room accessible and clutter free, with clear pathways? Most mobility equipment requires a four to five foot turning radius.

Are there a variety of seating options? Large bolsters and pillows may be arranged to give children more stability and motor control and to ensure their comfort and security.

Staff to participant ratio-

Are all children receiving individual attention? Speaking with children at eye level is an important engagement tool.

Do adults call children by name? Identifying each child makes for a more inclusive environment. You can praise positive behavior when you can call each child by name.

Are there sufficient personnel to respond in the event of emergencies? Having another staff person in the room can help mitigate any immediate problem with minimal disruption to the program.

Are you using parents as partners? Parents can be your best tool! They know their children best. And after all, they are here to make positive memories as a family. Allow them to be a part of your program.

The program activities-

Do you have a variety of developmental activities taking place? Every child works and participates at a different pace. Make sure there are tools and activities for different ages and developmental abilities. This can be as simple as crayons of various sizes, precut craft items, and larger pieces of paper.

Is the information presented in multiple formats? Pictures can provide context about the program and its goals. A soft bell can be an audio clue that something is about to happen in your program.

Just being mindful of the needs of your families can start the conversation about inclusion. Don’t be overwhelmed by the idea of “special needs programming” these small steps will get you on the road to providing a welcoming atmosphere for all your families.

For more tips check out these resources:

http://www.ucsfchildcarehealth.org/pdfs/healthandsafety/inclen081803_adr.pdf

http://articles.extension.org/pages/61358/adapting-the-child-care-environment-for-children-with-special-needs

Lesley Mason is the Youth Services Manager at the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, the DC Public Library’s central branch. She is currently the chair of the ALCS’s Library Service to Special Population Children and Their Caregivers Committee. She earned her Master’s Degree in Library Science from Clarion University. She specializes in Early Literacy and can be reached at [email protected].

The post A Special Needs Summer? appeared first on ALSC Blog.

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That Moment When Summer Arrives, 
Whether or not the Solstice Has Occurred

The peonies are blown.
Rain knocked the petals off
the last poppy
and laid the daisies down on the lawn.
The first fireflies
sparkle the humid night.
You can smell
the grass growing.


©Mary Lee Hahn, 2016


Jone has the Poetry Friday roundup this week at Check it Out.

The call for roundup hosts July-December went up yesterday. You can find it here.

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Memorial Day Weekend has come and gone, which can only mean one thing. The end of June is right around the corner (hang in there teachers!).

Now, we are all well aware of the importance of having access to books and the harmful effects of the slippery slope that is the summer slide.

• Children in low-income households fall behind an average of 2 months in reading during the summer.
• Summer learning loss accounts for about 2/3’s of the ninth grade achievement gap in reading.
• For every one line of print read by low-income children, middle-income children read three.

So, to keep the kids reading all summer long, LEE & LOW has put together a Diverse Summer 2016 Reading List for Grades PreK-8 and printables which you can freely download here or find listed below. Each list contains books that not only highlight different grade-appropriate interests, such as sports, music, sci-fi/fantasy, and the environment, but also explore diverse cultural backgrounds and traditions.

• LEE & LOW Diverse Summer 2016 Reading List Grades PreK-8 (complete PDF)
• LEE & LOW Diverse Summer 2016 Reading List Grades PreK-2
• LEE & LOW Diverse Summer 2016 Reading List Grades 3-5
• LEE & LOW Diverse Summer 2016 Reading List Grades 6-8
• LEE & LOW Summer Reading Log
• LEE & LOW Summer Reading Certificate of Achievement

These lists are not only an excellent tool to help you include diverse books in your summer suggested reading lists, but a way to begin diversifying the books available to students in your classroom libraries. It is important to remember that diverse books are not only for diverse readers. Reading books featuring diverse characters and communities mirror experiences in their own lives, allowing children to see themselves reflected in the stories they love, but they also provide windows into other life experiences to understand and be more accepting of the world around them.

• Debunking 3 Common Myths About Diverse Books
• Checklist: 8 Steps to Creating A Diverse Book Collection
• Where Can I Find Great Diverse Children’s Books?
• How Common Core’s Book Choices Fail Children of Color
• The Diversity Gap in Children’s Publishing, 2015

Finally, there are many great organizations compiling and creating Summer Reading Book Lists and offering free, exciting programs for the summer. Be sure to check out your local library as well as the following groups for additional summer reading tips, suggestions, and ideas:

• Anti-Defamation League-Tips for Summer Reading
• Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) 2016 Summer Reading Lists
• Colorín Colorado- Summer Reading Resources
• First Book- Books Beat Summer Slide Infographic
• The Horn Book-Summer Reading Recommendations
• NYPL Summer Reading Challenge 2016
• Reading is Fundamental (RIF): Summer Learning
• Reading Rockets-Summer Reading Tips for Parents
• School Library Journal Summer Reading Resources
• We Need Diverse Books Summer Reading Series

Veronica has a degree from Mount Saint Mary College and joined LEE & LOW in the fall of 2014. She has a background in education and holds a New York State childhood education (1-6) and students with disabilities (1-6) certification. When she’s not wandering around New York City, you can find her hiking with her dog Milo in her hometown in the Hudson Valley, NY.

 

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Memorial Day weekend is upon us and we can’t think of a better way to remember and celebrate than with some of our award-winning books!

Teachers- Looking for a way to talk to your students about war this Memorial Day?

Parents- Trying to make your kids understand the importance of remembering those who gave their lives for our country?

We have some great titles that will get your kids interested and help them understand the great sacrifices made by our men and women at arms, what really makes someone a hero, and the impact of war on a level they can relate to.

Heroes by Ken Mochizuki, illustrated by Dom Lee

Set during the ’60s with the Vietnam war going on and World War II popular in the media, Japanese American Donnie Okada always has to be the “bad guy” when he and his friends play war because he looks like the enemy portrayed in the media. When he finally has had enough, Donnie enlists the aid of his 442nd veteran father and Korean War veteran uncle to prove to his friends and schoolmates that those of Asian descent did serve in the U.S. military.

Check out the Teacher’s Guide for additional discussion ideas! Purchase the book here.

Quiet Hero: The Ira Hayes Story written and illustrated by S.D. Nelson

A biography of Ira Hayes, a Pima Indian who was one of the six soldiers to raise the United States flag on Iwo Jima during World War II, an event immortalized by Joe Rosenthal’s Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph.

Don’t miss out on the interview with S.D. Nelson, or the accompanying Teacher’s Guide. Purchase the book here.

When the Horses Ride By: Children in the Times of War by Eloise Greenfield, illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist

Through rhythmic words, photos, and original art, this collection of poems about children throughout history focuses on their perceptions of war and how war affects their lives. A great way to introduce the topic of war into discussion with your children and the ramifications they may not have considered.

For some insight from the author, take a look at this interview with Eloise Greenfield. Purchase the book here.

Be sure to leave comments below on how discussions about war went in your classroom or with your own children; we’d love to hear from you!

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We can hardly believe how fast the year is flying by! Memorial Day weekend is just around the corner, which means summer is officially here. We’re looking forward to nice weather, beaches, and of course, our new titles out this month!

We’re very excited to introduce our new May releases – there’s sure to be something for everyone!

A Morning with Grandpa

By Sylvia Liu, illus. by Christina Forshay
$17.95, 978-1-62014-192-2
Hardcover, 32 pages
Ages 5 to 8

A curious and active Chinese American girl spends the day learning tai chi from her grandfather, and in turn tries to teach him how to do yoga. Winner of our New Voices Award.

“Debut author Liu scores with a sweet story about the joys of intergenerational relationships. The love between the two shines through in both text and illustrations. A fine example of contemporary multicultural literature.” —Kirkus Reviews

Buy the book here.

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Tiny Stitches: The Life of Medical Pioneer Vivien Thomas

By Gwendolyn Hooks, illus. by Colin Bootman
$17.95, 978-1-62014-156-4
Hardcover, 32 pages
Ages 7 to 12

The life story of Vivien Thomas, an African American surgical technician who developed the first procedure used to perform open-heart surgery on children.

“Beyond the crucial message of perseverance and spotlight on prejudiced attitudes that still resonate today, this middle-grade picture book illuminates the life of little-known man whose innovations continue to be essential to modern medicine.”                       —Booklist, starred review

Out next week! More information here.

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Perfect Liars

By Kimberly Reid
$19.95, 978-1-62014-273-8
Hardcover, 384 pages
Ages 12 and up

Andrea Faraday, a society girl with a sketchy past, leads a crew of juvie kids in using their criminal skills for good.

“Crime, intrigue, and deceit abound in this novel about a biracial teen embracing her criminal instincts in order to thwart a treacherous plot. Gripping, suspenseful, and refreshingly diverse.”     —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Buy the book here.

What are you looking forward to reading in the coming month?

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गर्मी का मौसम – गर्मा गर्म गर्मी आ गया गर्मी का मौसम और अपने साथ लाया गर्मा गर्म गर्मी … हालाकि इस साल अच्छी बारिश का अनुमान है पर गर्मी भी अपना रंग दिखा रही है … सभी डर रहे हैं इस गर्मी से … मौत तक सूर्य के तेज ताप से कांप गई है […]

The post गर्मी का मौसम – गर्मा गर्म गर्मी appeared first on Monica Gupta.

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Just Like Me, by Nancy J. Cavanaugh, is a funny, uplifting summer camp story about unlikely friendships and finding your place in the world from the award-winning author of This Journal Belongs to Ratchet.

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Title: The Thing About Yetis Author & Illustrator: Vin Vogel Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015 Themes: winter, yetis, summer Ages: 3-5 Opening: The thing about yetis is that yetis love winter Synopsis: Everyone knows yetis love winter. They love snowball fights and hot chocolate and sledding. But even yetis … Continue reading →

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Title: The Whale in My Swimming Pool Written and illustrated by: Joyce Wan Published by: Farrer, Strauss, Giroux, 2015 Themes/Topics: swimming (paddling) pool, whale, boy Suitable for ages: 3-5 Opening: Race you to the pool! Whoa…         … Continue reading →

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“Traveling is never a matter of money, but of courage.”—Paulo Coelho Sometimes it’s financial security that holds us back, other times it’s emotional security, but it takes courage to step outside your front door and head out into the world. … Continue reading →

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Kandace Coston is LEE & LOW’s summer intern. She is one of five recipients of the We Need Diverse Books Internship Program inaugural grant. She graduated from Barnard College where she majored in music and took every creative literature class possible. In her free time, Kandace pursues her other interests, which include American Sign Language, handmade jewelry, and composing cinematic adventures!

I’ve always loved personality quizzes. As a teenager I was obsessed with brightly-colored magazines promising to reveal and explain different traits of my personality. I spent hours answering quirky questions, deciphering ambiguous logic, and debating results. Often the answers were frivolous and vague like a daily zodiac reading; but every once in a while I got an explanation that cut through my skepticism and perfectly pinched my persona. It felt as though an omniscient force was watching me from within the glossy pages. Those goose bump-inducing quizzes got neatly cut out and taken to school to entertain, and discreetly dissect, my friends.

When I was offered the opportunity to write a personality quiz for Tu Books’ popular YA mystery Ink and Ashes, I jumped at the chance. Creating the quiz would allow me to play haunting omniscient force! I was determined to craft a quiz so poignant and accurate it would induce goose bumps across the arms of every reader in the land! *Evil Laugh*. I immediately set to work in the dark lair of my cubicle.

My first step was to evaluate the six personality types I would use as results: Forrest, Nicholas, Claire, Parker, Fed, and Avery. I assigned each character a different color sticky tab and reread passages of the novel marking moments that revealed their different personality traits. I oversimplified each character’s persona by condensing it into three adjectives. Next I drew a line and plotted the two most opposite personalities, Nicholas and Avery, on either side. Everyone else seemed to fall in between these two characters. I plotted them appropriately completing the personality gradient.

Next, I began building questions that centered around an outing to the mall. The mall served as a great theme because it’s a natural setting for character-revealing situations. I crafted six questions that related to the novel and are circumstances readers can identify with. I thought four multiple-choice answers per question would suffice but it proved problematic. More than two characters were associated with one answer which made the personalities indistinguishable and muddied the results. Although each character is distinct, they possess certain overlapping traits. For example Parker is smart like Fed, who likes video games like Avery, who embraces conflict like Claire, and so on. The characters’ intersecting personalities led me to a significant realization: they shouldn’t be plotted on a line, but on a triangle.

With this new discovery I tried a different tactic. Instead of the quiz determining which character the reader was most like, it would determine which characters the reader was most unlike. The process reminded me of how doctors diagnose patients. The answers to questions would reveal symptoms of personality, and with each symptom the quiz would eliminate the character with contrasting personality traits. Through process of elimination the reader would be left with the character he/she has the most in common with. This seemed like a solid, plan until one of my Quiz Testers managed to perfectly eliminate all six characters with her six answers. This showed me I needed additional questions, more specific answers per question, and that this diagnosis-based grading mechanism was unnecessary.

After a few more adjustments to structure and questioning my quiz was finally complete. It turns out crafting a quiz doesn’t entail the wisdom of an omniscient force but rather focused trial and error. The quiz may not be perfectly accurate or provide poignant personality revelations but that’s not the point. The point is to engage fans of Ink and Ashes by giving them something fun to discuss and results to agree or disagree with. The quiz serves as another way for readers to see themselves in literature.

To take the Ink and Ashes quiz for yourself, check it out here.

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Summer isn't done quite yet, and what a great way to celebrate these last days of summer magic! The wonderful word wizard Rebecca Colby, author of It's Raining Bats & Frogs,  shares a magical writing exercise for your students. While it’s geared towards Grade 1 students, it could be adapted for older children.


Magic Rhyming Spells


Delia’s spells in It’s Raining Bats & Frogs are written in rhyme. Share some of the following spells with your students. Ask them to identify the words that rhyme.


· Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble.

· Hocus pocus, magic crocus.


Students will create rhyming spells of their own by filling in the blanks below.


· Zero, one, two, I’ll wave my wand at ______________.

· One, two, three, turn into a ____________.

· Eight nine, ten, turn into a _____________.



Working in pairs, students will create rhyming spells using the following starting lines. Ask students to create rhymes that are not used in the book. Extension activity: Students can create spells on their own without benefit of starting lines.


· Stir the brew in the vat, . . .

· Eye of newt, tongue of snake, . . .

· Wave your wand over the box, . . .

· One more wave, here I go, . . .


Now it’s your turn!

I challenge each one of you visiting the blog today to create your own magic spell. If you do, feel free to post it in the comments below. I’d love to read your results!





More Summer Fun! Join Rebecca as she celebrates  It’s Raining Bats and Frogs! Who doesn’t love a scavenger hunt! Follow Rebecca’s tour to collect the clues. There will be eight answers to find and submit in total to the link below.

 You can enter the overall giveaway for a $50 USD Amazon voucher (or £30 GBP Amazon voucher) at the end of the tour. Submit your answers here!

So what should you be looking for? Witch names, of course! Each post will mention a fictitious witch somewhere in the discussion. To be in with a chance of winning, leave a comment on the blog where you found the name (but please DON’T reveal the name) , including here at Teacher Authors! At the end of the tour, send Rebecca (at website address above) a list of all eight names via her website contact page, and enter the Rafflecopter entry form on her page. You have until 11.59pm EST on 5 September to enter the scavenger hunt giveaway!
“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it.”   ~ Roald Dahl

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not that I would ever carve a tree...

Welcome one and all!  I suspect we may be a small group this week--last summer flings and all--but I also know that many of us Poetry Friday faithfuls are educators who are beginning to gear up for a new year.  This should be true for me too, but I'm holding on tooth-and-nail to "empty" summer days during which I decide what and when!  Here's a NoNotYet poem to fit that feeling....



< poem ready? NoNotYet >


Where are you in the wheel of the year?  Clicking slowly and deliciously up-up-up to the first day of school, ready to ride that roller coaster, or noticing already the drawing in of the evening light, the scatter of yellow leaves on the still-green lawn?  Or perhaps you are good at being smack in the middle of the moment...your posts should give us a clue!

Thanks for joining in this week, the last week of the Summer Poem Swap!  I look forward to sharing the riches I received next Friday.  Now then, click below to leave your link for all to follow!

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Click - to visit a beautiful collection of swimming spots posted by Julie Paschkis

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What Amusement Park Ride Are You?

Going to amusement parks is my most favorite summertime activity (aside from reading a billion books by the beach). So our next quiz for y’all is an Amusement Park Ride Personality Quiz! Are you a wild upside down roller coaster, a hot-headed bumper car, or a silly Tilt-a-Whirl? Take the quiz to find out!

1. Your amusement park treat of choice is a) cotton candy. b) nachos. c) churros. d) hot dogs. e) a slushie.
2. Your amusement park must-have is a a) cute outfit. b) backpack. c) bottle of sunscreen. d) baseball hat. e) cool sunglasses.
3. Your favorite animal of the following is the a) koala. b) shark. c) giraffe. d) otter. e) tiger.
4. You are most afraid of a) heights. b) clowns. c) gross bugs. d) the dark. e) zombies.
5. Your favorite summertime outdoor activity is a) freeze tag. b) jungle gym acrobatics. c) tennis. d) swimming. e) water balloon fight.
6. Your favorite rainy day summertime activity is a) learning a new craft. b) bowling. c) reading indoors. d) watching movies with your friends. e) napping.
7. You most enjoy the color a) yellow. b) silver. c) blue. d) purple. e) red.
8. Your favorite video game involves a) dancing or singing. b) racing cars. c) solving puzzles. d) building or creating something. e) combat fighting.
9. Your dream ride would be a a) unicycle. b) really, really fast sports car. c) hot air balloon. d) sailboat. e) motorcycle.

Read on for your results!

If you picked mostly A’s, you are a TILT-A-WHIRL.
Your imagination has no limit! You are a free-spirited soul who never has to look far to find adventure. You are not only great at expressing yourself, you are also able to understand other people’s feelings well and be a great source of support. You’re usually able to find something to smile about—and you’re great at making other people smile, too!

If you picked mostly B’s, you are an UPSIDE-DOWN ROLLER COASTER.
You’re a daredevil!  You have never been afraid to speak your mind or try weird, new things. Even people you’re not friends with yet admire how brave you are! You are loud, you are proud, and you can never sit still. You don’t follow trends; you start them.

If you picked mostly C’s, you are a FERRIS WHEEL.
You aren’t flashy or noisy, and sometimes you can be overshadowed by louder people, but you are a steady and true friend. What’s more perfect than that? You are thoughtful and find joy in the little things, like first snowfall or a great hug from your best friend. You are calm, strong, and wise. Your levelheadedness will get you really, really far in life. You go, Ferris Wheel!

If you picked mostly D’s, you are the LOG FLUME.
Like the Log Flume, you’re popular because people think you’re lovable and fun. You don’t put on airs or try to be trendy. You’re just yourself, and people love inviting you to things because you’re so easy to get along with. You are reliable and know how to have a lot of fun without breaking any rules! Now that’s skill.

If you picked mostly E’s, you are BUMPER CARS.
You know what you like, and you stick to it! Nobody is as tough as you, but your friends all know that you are the most loyal person ever and will stand up for them no matter what. You always have something interesting to say, and your lively personality inspires people around you to believe in themselves, too. Bravo, Bumper Cars!

What amusement park ride personality are you? Share your result in the Comments below!

See ya around,

En-Szu

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