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I want to tell you a story about Keondra.

In a few days, Keondra will start second grade at Harrowgate Elementary School in Chester, Virginia. She cannot wait to be back in the classroom.

When she began elementary school, Keondra was a reluctant reader. She struggled academically. And then she had to repeat first grade.

But Keondra’s teacher recognized her potential and turned to First Book. Thanks to the support of our generous donors, she was able to give Keondra a new book to take home and read every month.

That’s why I’m invite everyone to join First Book’s Monthly Book Club. Your monthly gift is easy to make and provides an ongoing supply of new, high-quality books to kids like Keondra.

With each month and each new book, Keondra became a stronger reader. Her grades improved – from D’s to B’s. She fell in love with books.

A new school year is about to begin, and there are millions of kids like Keondra who urgently need to be transformed by a love of books before it is too late. Please consider joining today.

The post Meet Keondra appeared first on First Book Blog.

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Back-to-school is here! Summer is coming to a close and classrooms are prepping to welcome new students to take the long journey through the next grade. The first day of school can be scary for many children, especially as they enter a new school, or are beginning school for the first time. So, in honor of the first day of school we have compiled a list of Sylvan Dell books that are great reads to prepare for that first day.

The Giraffe Who Was Afraid of Heights – Imagine if the one thing that keeps you safe is what you fear the most. This enchanting story tells of a giraffe who suffers from the fear of heights. His parents worry about his safety and send him to the village doctor for treatment. Along the way he befriends a monkey who is afraid of climbing trees and a hippo that is afraid of water. A life-threatening event causes the three friends to face and overcome each of their fears.

Home in the Cave – Baby Bat loves his cave home and never wants to leave it. While practicing flapping his wings one night, he falls, and Pluribus Packrat rescues him. They then explore the deepest, darkest corners of the cave where they meet amazing animals—animals that don’t need eyes to see or colors to hide from enemies. Baby Bat learns how important bats are to the cave habitat and how other cave-living critters rely on them for their food. Will Baby Bat finally venture out of the cave to help the other animals?

Henry the Impatient Heron – Henry the Heron couldn’t stand still! He was always moving, and it drove everyone crazy! His brother and sister yelled at him for stepping on their heads, and Mom and Dad could barely get food into his little baby mouth. But herons have to stand still to catch their food, so how would Henry ever be able to eat on his own? In Henry, the Impatient Heron, Donna Love takes readers along with Henry as he learns a valuable lesson from the King of Camouflage! Hilarious and lighthearted illustrations by Christina Wald complement the important lesson in the text. It is a meaningful lesson for both herons and kids alike, which teaches the importance of just being still!

How the Moon Regained Her Shape – This fascinating story influenced by Native American folktales explains why the moon changes shape and helps children deal with bullies. After the sun insults and bullies her, the moon feels so badly hurt that she shrinks and leaves the sky. The moon turns to a comet and her many friends on earth to comfort her. Her friends include rabbits and Native Americans. Then she regains her full shape, happiness, and self-esteem. The moon also returns to her orbit.

And for the younger siblings just beginning counting and ABC’s

ABC Safari - Let’s search for adventure above in the sky. We’ll scout through the mountains and hills, and then try exploring the forests, the meadows and plains, across the dry desert and through jungle rains. We’ll trek through a swamp, a puddle, a pond, in lakes and the river, the ocean beyond. But, what are we looking for? Who will we see? Find animals on this Safari with me! Once you’ve discovered all the animals, turn to the “For Creative Minds” educational section for sorting cards and animal fun facts.

Count Down to Fall - The summer days get a little colder; the leaves turn from green to orange and red. Fall must be on the way, and while you unpack sweaters and scarves, the animals frolic outside in the crisp autumn air beneath a wide blue sky. In Fran Hawk’s Count Down to Fall, watch the falling leaves tumble all around. The vibrant and detailed illustrations of Sherry Neidigh capture the majesty of the maple, the oak, the linden, and more. Critters play in the time of changing seasons, and remind us that the changes of the earth affect us all-animals and humans alike!

We hope that you have a wonderful first day of school!

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Elephant and Piggie: I Broke My Trunk – Mo Willems

Gerald is careful. Piggie is not. Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can. Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to. Gerald and Piggie are best friends. In I Broke My Trunk! Gerald tells Piggie the long, crazy story about breaking his trunk. Will Piggie end up with a long, crazy story of her own?  Another hilarious escapade starring the Geisel Award-winning duo & vetted by an early-learning specialist

Yoko’s Paper Cranes – Rosemary Wells

Ever since Yoko moved with her Mama from Japan, she misses her Obaasan and Ojiisan (her grandma and grandpa) very much. She especially misses doing origami with them. Luckily, Yoko knows just what to do for Obaasan’s birthday. Yoko’s Paper Cranes is a story about making paper cranes and letting them fly with your heart to those you love, even if they are thousands of miles away.

Un Alce, Veinte Ratones – Clare Beaton

Count the animals from one to twenty while searching for the cat in this lively hide-and-seek selection that introduces animals like frogs, whales, monkeys, ducks, hens and elephants. (Spanish language edition)

 

Healthy Kids – Maya Ajmera

Photographs showcase the many ways kids around the world can be healthy.

Officer Buckle and Gloria – Peggy Rathmann

Officer Buckle knows more about safety than anyone else in Napville, but his dull presentations put his audiences to sleep. Enter Gloria, Napville’s new police dog. Gloria knows just how to liven up the safety speeches – as long as Officer Buckle’s back is turned! Full color.

 

Daniel’s Mystery Egg (Bilingual) – Alma Flor Ada

Daniel encuentra en huevo. ¿Qué animal saldrá de aquí?

Daniel finds an egg. What kind of animal will it hatch?

 

Magic Tree House #42: Good Night For Ghosts – Mary Pope Osborne

Jack and Annie are on their second mission to find—and inspire—artists to bring happiness to millions. After traveling to New Orleans, Jack and Annie come head to head with some real ghosts, as well as discover the world of jazz when they meet a young Louis Armstrong!

 

The Duckling Gets a Cookie? – Mo Willems

The Duckling asks for a cookie – and gets one! Do you think the Pigeon is happy about that?

 

 

Very Hungry Caterpillar (Bilingual) – Eric Carle

Eric Carle’s classic story is now available as First Book’s newest BILINGUAL First Book Marketplace Special Edition.This bilingual edition is available exclusively through the First Book Marketplace!

 

Piggie Pie! – Margie Palatini and Howard Fine

Gritch the Witch wants piggies for dinner, but when she shows up at Old MacDonald’s farm, the pigs go undercover.

 

 

Drummer Hoff (Stories to Go!) – Barbara Emberley

DRUMMER HOFF is a lively folk verse all about the building of a cannon. Brightly dressed in full uniform, each soldier brings a part for the remarkable machine. Corporal Farrell brings the barrel, Sergeant Chowder brings the powder, General Border gives the order-but it’s Drummer Hoff who finally fires it off and explodes the whole rhyme.

 

 

The post 11 Books for Back To School 4-8 yrs appeared first on First Book Blog.

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Is there a teacher in your life who works with kids in need?

First Book needs your help in connecting 5,000 new teachers, librarians, reading specialists and school administrators with brand new books and resources for back-to-school.

Anyone working at a Title I school is eligible to sign up now with First Book (or any program serving kids in need; it doesn’t have to be a school).

Once they’re signed up, they’ll:

1) have access to the First Book Marketplace, where they can find over 4,000 titles, including books for reluctant readers, Common Core resources, Caldecott and Newbery award-winners and graphic novels.

2) receive regular email updates about new, free books donated by publishers and available through the First Book National Book Bank.

Encourage the educators in your life to sign up today at firstbook.org/join.

Or share this message via the social media buttons below.

The post Help Your Favorite Teacher Get New Books for Back-to-School appeared first on First Book Blog.

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Otherwise, I'll start the mailing process soon and/or you can always download the info by dragging and dropping the brochure images that you find here. Give a call anytime if you'd like to talk more specifically about scheduling a visit. I would love to hear from you.

Happy fall!

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Now that Kik is back in school, Bid gets really bored during the day.  To give her something to do, we started our very own Biddy school.  We practice letters, do art projects,  and even have snack time.  An essential part of our Biddy school has been our Cube It Funbites.

 To Use - 

• Place funbites^® cutter on top of food.  Remove popper top and set to the side.
• Grab cutter handles on both sides, press down firmly and rock 5-6 times to cut through the food.
• Lift the cutter up, insert popper top and pop out the bite-sized pieces!

To Buy - The Cube It Funbites is super easy to use and makes snack time easier.  Its fast.  I don't get my hands dirty.  There is no more complaining about whose piece is bigger.  And I don't know why, but for some reason bite sized food is just more fun to eat.


Each style of FunBites retail for just $12.99, or you can get them both for $24.

To Win - One of you is going to win your choice of funbites.


To Enter complete any of the entries on the rafflecpter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


I received a product to review from the above company or their PR Agency. Opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own - I was not influenced in any way. I received no monetary compensation for this post. By entering this giveaway you agree to my giveaway/disclosure guidelines

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One of the hardest things about Back to School Season is getting back on a schedule.  Because of this I try to plan quick and easy meals for the first few weeks.  Unfortunately I'm not a very good cook and we end up eating things like french fries, smoothies, muffins, and even occasionally cereal.

Pillsbury has made it a lot easier to get creative in the kitchen with their new Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain.  All you have to do is add toppings, stick it in the oven, and you have dinner in less than 10 minutes!

To Buy - The new Artisan Crusts have 16 grams of whole grain per serving, and are available in the refrigerated section at grocery stores nationwide.  You can get $1.25 off one package of New Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain, by printing off a coupon at http://bit.ly/PCwWG

To Win -  Pillsbury is giving away a Pizza Prize Pack to one of you.  It includes

• VIP coupon for New Pillsbury Artisan Pizza Crust with Whole Grain
• $10 gift card (for your favorite ingredients)
• Baking sheet
• Oven mitt
• Pizza cutter

We made a pizza using a similar prize pack, and dinner was finished in less time than it took to make.  And clean-up was a breeze!

To Enter - Complete any entries on the rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
“Disclosure: The product, gift pack, information, and additional sample have been provided by Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark.” Opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own - I was not influenced in any way. I received no monetary compensation for this post. By entering this giveaway you agree to my giveaway/disclosure guidelines

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The school year always brings an end to the hot dry season in Utah.  Temperatures cool off, and we finally get some rain.  And if there's rain we must play in it.

My favorite place to get children's rain products is Kidorable.com.

They have a fun selection of umbrellas, raincoats,

 and even backpacks.


Rain gear can be uncomfortable.  Because Kidorable products are so whimsical and fun not only will my girls wear their gear, but they ask too.

Since we'll be walking Kik to the bus stop this year, I thought that Bid needed her very own pair of rain boots.  And since every walk we ever take turns into a bug hunt, I thought the Ladybug Boots would be perfect for her.










I received a product to review from the above company or their PR Agency. Opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own - I was not influenced in any way. I received no monetary compensation for this post. 

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Jaclyn DeForge, our Resident Literacy Expert, began her career teaching first and second grade in the South Bronx, and went on to become a literacy coach and earn her Masters of Science in Teaching. In her column she offers teaching and literacy tips for educators.

Ready or not, the 2012-2013 school year is upon us!

And while parents are stocking up on pencils and notebooks (and, if the Target Music Teacher is to be trusted, potentially an inordinate amount of denim), teachers are busy planning for the first weeks of school.

Educators, for your planning pleasure, here are three titles to get students back in the right mindset for those first days back in the classroom:

Read Aloud:  Yasmin’s Hammer by Ann Malaspina and illustrated by Doug Chayka

Major topics & themes:  hard work, determination, the transformative power of education

Common Core connections:

• What does the author want us to learn from this story?  What is the central message?  How do you know?  Use details from the story to justify your answer.  (Grades 2 & 3, Literature, Key Ideas and Details, 2)
• Who is Yasmin?  How would you describe her?  What kind of person is she?  How do you know?  How do her actions affect what happens in the story? Use details from the story to justify your answer.  (Grade 3, Literature, Key Ideas & Details, 3)

Read Aloud: Richard Wright and the Library Card by William Miller and illustrated by Gregory Christie

Major topics & themes:  triumph over adversity, educational equality, scholarship

Common Core connection:

• Ask students to write a persuasive response to the following question:  Is access to books and information a right or a privilege?  Use details from the life of Richard Wright to support your answer.  (Grades 3 & 4, Writing Standards, Text Types and Purposes, 1 a-d)

Read Aloud: Babu’s Song by Stephanie Stuve-Bodeen and illustrated by Aaron Boyd

Major topics & themes:  educational opportunity, integrity, sacrifice

Common Core connection:

• Where does the story take place?  How would you describe the setting? How is Bernardi’s neighborhood like your neighborhood?  How is it different?  How do the illustrations in the story help you picture the setting?  (Grades 1 & 2, Literature, Integration of Knowledge and Ideas, 7)

What are your favorite books to read to your students during the first weeks of school?  Drop me an email at [email protected] or share yours in the comments! 

Filed under: Curriculum Corner, Resources Tagged: ann malaspina, Babu's Song, back to school, CCSS, common core standards, Read Aloud, richard wright and the library card, stephanie stuve-bodeen, william miller, yasmin's hammer

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Time to grab your backpack, notebook and Dixon Ticonderoga #2′s—it’s back-to-school time! But hey, let’s make this year a little more interesting, shall we?

How about candy-coated pencils for sucking in class? YES!!! *fist pump* (Remember, I’m from Jersey.)

I don’t deserve credit here. Back in 1994, just a few years after Roald Dahl’s passing, his widow Liccy compiled truly inspired recipes for the book ROALD DAHL’S REVOLTING RECIPES, based on his darkly humorous children’s tales.

There’s George’s Marvelous Medicine Chicken Soup from GEORGE’S MARVELOUS MEDICINE, Mr. Twit’s Beard Food from THE TWITS, and Mosquitoes’ Toes and Wampfish Roes Most Delicately Fried from JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH. And while these treats might not be on your next tea party list, there’s also sweet favorites like Bunce’s Donuts from FANTASTIC MR. FOX and Bruce Bogtrotter’s Chocolate Cake from MATILDA.

But considering the time of year, I thought it would be fun to share a recipe for making daydreaming in class a little sweeter.

CANDY-COATED PENCILS FOR SUCKING IN CLASS

Makes 6

You will need:

• 6 pencils (Dahl’s favorite were Dixon Ticonderoga #2′s)
• Play-Doh or other modeling clay (for standing pencils up)
• candy thermometer (optional)
• buttered 8X10 rimmed baking sheet lined with wax paper
• buttered knife
• 1/2 pound sugar cubes
• 1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP water
• large pinch cream of tartar
• few drops flavoring and food coloring

1. Put sugar and water in saucepan over low heat and stir until sugar has dissolved.
2. Raise the heat. When syrup is almost boiling, add cream of tartar and a warmed candy thermometer.
3. Boil without stirring to 250 degrees F, or until a little bit of the syrup dropped into cold water forms a hard ball (a ball that will hold its shape but still be pliable).
4. Remove from heat, add flavoring and coloring. Do not over-stir and be careful, mixture is very hot.
5. Pour mixture into rimmed, lined baking sheet. Edges will cool more quickly then the center, so as the mixture cools, turn the edges inward with a buttered knife, but do not stir.
6. Working quickly, lay 2/3rds of a pencil (not the pointed end) on top of the mixture. Using the buttered knife, lift up the candy and gently wrap it around the pencil. You can create all sorts of shapes before it hardens. When the candy is almost set, stand the pencil point side down into the clay. Try not to touch the candy now, as you’ll leave fingerprints.
7. Repeat step 6 with other pencils.

Note: Do not double the recipe to make more. Make additional batches instead.

That’s it! Now suck away in class, but don’t tell your teacher who gave you the recipe! I don’t want to get in trouble!

While ROALD DAHL’S REVOLTING RECIPES seems to be out of print, it has been resurrected several times. I suspect it will be released again. But if you just can’t wait to devour SNOZZCUMBERS or LICKABLE WALLPAPER, I suggest checking for a local indie seller.

Bon appetite!

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Well, here we are, midway through August and time to get our heads ready for back to school. One item to check off your list might be that summer reading assignment you have been putting off.  Go on, dig in and read!  But,  parents/guardians and teachers have to get ready too, so here are a few of my favorite resource links with some great ideas:

• Back-to-School Transitions: Tips for Parents from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)–make sure your child is healthy.  Get your medical and dental appointments scheduled before school begins, and don’t forget the  pertussis (Tdap) vaccination requirement for Grade 7 – 12 students.
• Back to School: Tips for Parents of Children with Special Needs also need to organize.  LD Online shares eight helpful tips to ease the jitters.
• Scholastic Books has a special planning guide for teachers full of resources, tips, and free material. Don’t forget to update your classroom library too and level your books; get help at Teacher Book Wizard.

Enjoy your last few days.  Then, be ready to hit the books, reconnect with friends, meet new friends, and have a great school year.

Graphic from Flickr Creative Commons License by stevendepolo.

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My daughter has been walking around the house with a video camera the last couple days, recording everything.  Because I want to support her creativity, she is going to introduce us to today's Back 2 School Must Have - Pediped Shoes.

When we received the Flex Bailey shoes in the mail, Kik was so excited.  Until she found out they were Bid's size.


Luckily Bid loves them too.

They are a classic, black, mary-jane style, and great for school or even church.  The shoes are made from leather and have a flexible sole.  My only complaint is the first time she wore them, she didn't put socks on.  And they turned her toes black.  She thought it was awesome.

To Buy -  Besides the Bailey shoes, Pediped just debuted its Fall/Winter 2012 Collection. It features an innovative line of athletic shoes featuring Ultra Light Technology™, a collection of waterproof cold weather boots and more than 80 new design offerings. You can buy these and more on Pediped.com.

For more info, you can sign up to become a Pediped insider, or follow them on facebook and twitter.





I received a product to review from the above company or their PR Agency. Opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own - I was not influenced in any way. I received no monetary compensation for this post.

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Help your child be Eco friendly and stylish this school year with Terracycle.

Terracycle takes the wrappers from everyday items - such as candy wrappers, juice pouches, and chip bags - and upcycles them into fun and stylish products.

When I was in Junior High and High School I liked having a separate notebook for each class to keep things neat and organized. What I didn't like was that all of my notebooks looked exactly the same and were easy to mix up. Because of this I always decorated them myself. I would cover them with stickers, draw elaborate designs on them, or even repaper the covers myself.

I would have absolutely loved this notebook from Terracycle.



It's colorful.  It makes me want chocolate.  And with it I could have taken notes during class instead of decorating.

The notebook is really well made. The cover is really thick and sturdy, and I love that the rings don't come undone easily like many spiral notebooks.  It also lays flat which makes using it so much easier.



Terracycle also makes a variety of fun bags perfect for school.


I love the look of this Lays Messenger bag. It's a great color and the bag is very roomy. This would be a great college accessory, as my 15+" laptop fit well in the bag with room left over.  The only downside is that the bag is kind of crinkly - like chip bags.

For the younger generation they also have regular backpacks and lunch boxes.  The Capri Sun Lunch box seems to be a little bit bigger than a traditional lunch box.  It can hold a lot of stuff.


To Buy - TerraCycle Products can be purchased at a variety of major retailers in store as well as online at DwellSmart.com and other online retailers.  They also have lunch boxes, backpacks, and pencil cases that would be perfect for the school year ahead.

To Join - If you would like to help make Terracycle Products a reality, all you have to do is select your waste and start collecting!

TerraCycle’s free recycling fundraisers are perfect for schools or families nationwide. Whether your kids are in the classroom, the lunchroom, or even their playroom at home, TerraCycle can help them learn about the environment while also earning money for their school.

This is a great option for school fundraisers as every piece of trash collected would earn a school 2 cents! Check out the Terracycle website for more info or find them on facebook or twitter!

To Win - Because I love all of you so much, and my last post was about giving back, I'm giving away the messenger bag, and capri sun lunch box to one of you!  I would give you the notebook too, but I already used it...

To Enter complete any of the entries on the form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



I received a product to review from the above company or their PR Agency. Opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own - I was not influenced in any way. I received no monetary compensation for this post. By entering this giveaway you agree to my giveaway/disclosure guidelines

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Kik is only 6, but she's very aware of what is going on around her.  In school she wants to blend and fit in, not stand out for what she doesn't have.  In honor of all the families that may be struggling this year, I want to tell you about a great charitable organization - The Office Depot Foundation.

As a backpack isn't a necessity, many struggling families can't afford to buy their kids backpacks and basic school supplies. During the past 11 years, the Office Depot Foundation has provided more than 2.5 million backpacks to deserving children in local communities across North America and as far away as China through its National Backpack Program. In celebration of it's 12th year, the Office Depot Foundation plans to donate 400,000 new school sackpacks to kids around the world.

The sackpacks come in seven different styles, and each contain a zippered pouch full of basic school supplies.


The sackpacks are made from the same material as backpacks, and are water-resistant and lined to provide extra protection. They feature strong ropes and have no metal parts. They also feature fun designs (with no Office Depot logo), that kids are happy to carry.  

Every Office Depot store in the United States will receive 50 sackpacks to give to non-profit organizations and schools in the community. In addition, sackpacks will be donated through approximately 30 “Back-to-School Celebration” events in key Office Depot markets during the summer, as well as to a number of national non-profits serving children in the U.S. and, increasingly, around the world.

To Buy - You can help the Office Depot Foundation continue to help students in need, by shopping at Office Depot Stores, or by making a donation.

To Win - I was sent a couple of the sackpacks for review and giveaway purposes. And since the foundation is all about giving back, I decided to give them ALL away to a few of you. So if your kids need a sackpack, or if you know someone else that might, enter to win one for them below!

To Enter just complete any of the entries on the form below!  


a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
More information about the National Backpack Program can be found on the Office Depot Foundation’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/officedepotfoundation. For information on the Office Depot Foundation and its initiatives, go to www.officedepotfoundation.org/. You can also follow the Foundation on Twitter at www.twitter.com/officedepotfndn.



Opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own - I was not influenced in any way. I received no monetary compensation for this post. By entering this giveaway you agree to my giveaway/disclosure guidelines

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Even though Summer isn't officially over until school starts on the 27th, my family's summer vacation is.  My husband is a teacher and today he attends the first (of many) Back to School meetings.  Which means that it is officially time to start getting my husband and daughter ready for the upcoming school year.  I need to schedule last minute hair and dentist appointments, reteach my daughter everything she may have "forgotten" during the school year, and my favorite SHOPPING!

To make shopping easier, General Mills, Crayola, and Target have teamed up to help parents meet all of their back to school needs.

Available exclusively at Target Stores during the month of August:

• Purchase specially marked Nature Valley® Crunchy Granola Bars, Pillsbury® Toaster Strudel® Pastries, and Big G Cereal packages and you could save up to $5 on Crayola products 
• Participating Big G cereal boxes will feature a fun Crayola coloring activity on pack 
• Save on General Mills products when you purchase specially marked Crayola 64-CT Crayons 

To Buy - Purchasing school supplies can be expensive, and I love that I can save money just by buying breakfast items that I buy anyway!

To Win - To get you started on your shopping, one of you will win this gift pack!



a Rafflecopter giveaway 


Also check out "www.GrocerySavvy.com where you’ll find even more coupons for back-to-school, recipes, and a special 2012 “Grocery Savvy Crayola® Back To School” Sweepstakes! Be sure to enter the sweepstakes for your chance to win one of the 700 Crayola® 8-count Washable Dry Erase Crayons or one of 20 Crayola® Dry-Erase Activity Centers Zany Play Edition. "




“Disclosure: The product, gift pack, information, and additional sample have been provided by Crayola, Target, and General Mills through MyBlogSpark.” Opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own - I was not influenced in any way. I received no monetary compensation for this post. By entering this giveaway you agree to my giveaway/disclosure guidelines

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We were at a family reunion last weekend and had too-few minutes to visit with one of my favorite cousins who I only get to see once a year at the reunion. She… Read More →

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*Picture book for preschoolers through first graders
*Tortoise as main character
*Rating: Back to School Tortoise has few words, but it is a super cute story with great illustrations. It’s clever and bright and cute!

Short, short summary:

Summer is over, and it is time for Tortoise to go back to school. But he imagines all these scenarios of what could happen–good and bad. So, he can’t decide whether or not to go in. Hint: There’s a twist at the end–the illustrations help tell the story as good picture book illustrations should do.

So what do I do with this book?

1. Take some time to check out the fun at the end of the story. Are there any clues before that last illustration?

2. Perfect book to discuss anxieties and fears over going back to school. Students can make a list of things they are worried about and share with the class. Or students could write in journals and then share and read these entries out loud.

3. In the book, Tortoise asks several what if questions. Can students pose some of their own what if questions? Students can engage in conversation using these questions as guidelines.

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Cool Tools For Training Tomorrow's Millionaries

Junior's Adventure 6 CD Audio Set