photo by foxypar4 www.flickr.com
*Picture book for preschoolers through second graders
*Bea the sheep as the main character
*Rating: Be unique is the message in Bea Rocks the Flock, and this book’s illustration and cute sheep make it unique, too.
Short, short summary: Bea is having a hard time in the flock. She just doesn’t do [...]

photo by BlatantNews.com www.flickr.com (photo is in public domain)
One of my favorite lessons plans for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day I found when I was a writing specialist at Fairmount Elementary School. This lesson teaches children about Martin Luther King, Jr. AND teaches them about that elusive 6 plus one writing trait: voice. [...]

photo by Stepheye www.flickr.com
*Picture book for preschoolers through second graders
*Young (and tiny) boy as the main character
*Rating: You might be more familiar with Laurie Halse Anderson’s novels, but this picture book is funny with a terrific voice! A modern-day take on the old-David-and-Goliath theme.
Short, short summary: The Antonellis of Third Street are BIG. [...]

photo by kyz www.flickr.com
Journal writing prompts are sometimes hard to come up with. So when I saw this contest sponsored by Target and Twitttermoms, I thought this could also be a journal writing prompt for just about any age student or child (or even adult!).
The contest goes like this. I must answer [...]

photo by Irargerich www.flickr.com
It seems on Wacky Wednesdays that I am on a bit of a poetry kick. Last week, I discussed acrostic poems and how they can be useful tools in the classroom for creative writing skills and assessing subject matter knowledge. This week, I have found this wonderful book at [...]

photo by Vadim Lavrusik www.flickr.com
*Picture book for preschoolers through third graders, contemporary
*Young boy as main character
*Rating: Looking Like Me is a rhythmic self-esteem-builder journey for young children by father/son duo Walter Dean and Christopher Myers.
Short, short summary: Looking Like Me is basically a list of all the things that a boy/girl can be. [...]

Around the holidays, you may have a writing activity such as this for your students or children: write the word, Thanksgiving, vertically on the left-hand side of your paper. Then write an acrostic poem–the first letter of each line should be a letter in Thanksgiving AND each line should focus on Thanksgiving.
When you [...]

*Picture book for preschoolers through third graders, contemporary fiction
*Elementary-school-aged boy as main character
*You will want to be-bop with Doo-Wop Pop over and over again!
Short, short summary: Doo-Wop Pop by Roni Schotter tells the story of Elijah Earl, who is a shy kid who keeps to himself. He knows there are a few other shy kids [...]

photo by joi www.flickr.com
First, I’d like to announce the winner of the book: Coolhead Luke and Other Stories. It is Kim W.! Congratulations, Kim, I hope you enjoy the book and all the silly poems/illustrations with your children. Now to today’s post. . .
On Friday the 13th, it’s only natural to write about a [...]

Yesterday, I shared with you a really cool book called On the Edge with Coolhead Luke. I also shared with you two of the silly poems and illustrations in the book and compared it to Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky’s work. To see this post and read about the book by the mother/son duo, [...]