Books That Heal Kids: school skills

Showing posts with label school skills. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school skills. Show all posts

Book Review: Clothesline Clues to the First Day of School

Author: Kathryn Heling
Illustrator: Deborah Hembrook

From the Book Jacket: New clothes, new shoes, ready for school! Spot A+ clues on the clothesline to identify all the people who make starting school so much fun! Catchy rhymes are paired with visual cues hanging from the clotheslines to introduce young readers to the people they'll encounter on the first day of school. From teacher to custodian, from crossing guard to new friends, who wears what?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: It is a big deal to start kindergarten! But to normalize it and help with any fears, I recommend telling kiddos about the different adults at school that can help them. This is a great little concrete book on just that! We don't want to overwhelm kids but it can be helpful to prepare them for all of the friendly adults they will encounter at school who are ready to help them. 

A Link to This Book: 
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Book Review: Butterflies on the First Day of School

Author: Annie SIlvestro
Illustrator: Dream Chen

From the Book Jacket: Rosie can't wait to finally start school. She's spent hours practicing how to raise her hand, write her letters, and say her teacher's name. But when the big day arrives, Rosie finds that her belly hurts so much she can't even finish her chocolate chip pancakes! Rosie's mom tells her it's just butterflies dancing around in her stomach. Much to Rosie's surprise, when she greets a new friend on the bus, a butterfly flitters out of her mouth! By the end of the school day, will Rosie set all of her butterflies free?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Such a great book to help kids overcome fears they might be having about the first day of school. I thought it was so smart to also introduce the concept of the feeling of "butterflies in your stomach." It can help children understand that an upset tummy because of anxiety is normal and eventually it will go away as your nerves calm. In the story, Rosie's anxiety starts to go away as her day progresses and she also meets another girl who is also experiencing butterflies. They make each other feel better by playing together and becoming friends. So happy to discover this wonderful resource. 

A Link to This Book:

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Book Reviews: Decibella and Quiet Please, Owen McPhee!

Author: Trudy Ludwig
Illustrator: Patrice Barton 

From the Book Jacket: Owen McPhee doesn't just like to talk, he LOVES to talk. He spends every waking minute chattering away at his teachers, his classmates, his parents, his dog, and even himself. But all that talking can get in the way of listening. And when Owen wakes up with a bad case of laryngitis, it gives him a much-needed opportunity to hear what others have to say. A lively picture book that captures the social dynamics of a busy classroom while delivering a gentle message about the importance of listening.


Author: Julia Cook
Illustrator: Anita DuFalla

From the Book Jacket: Spunky, spirited Isabella is always shouting out her every thought, idea, and feeling. She loves using her loud voice so much, everyone calls her "Decibella!" But that's not a nickname to brag about. Isabella's so loud, she interrupts class and irritates others. She doesn't know how or when to use a softer, quieter voice until her teacher introduces the "five volumes" of voice. Learning how and when to use each voice is made a lot more fun when Isabella is told to practice by saying aloud the word.  

Why They Are On My Bookshelf: There are a few staples in my library I use for helping kids work on listening, raising their hand, and being respectful when others are talking. I'm pretty loyal to the ones that are currently in my rotation. I find we need to revisit being an active listener throughout the school year or sometimes daily so it's nice to add new books kids have not yet heard around this skill. They can get desensitized to the same language and stories we use. It's good to mix it up! I've been reading both Decibella and Quiet Please, Owen McPhee! the past month to do some reteaching and the kids LOVE them. Highly recommend!

A Link to These Books:
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Book Review: Harrison P. Spader Personal Space Invader

Author: Christianne Jones
Illustrator: Cale Atkinson

From the Book Jacket: Harrison P. Spader sat a little too close. Shook hands a little too long. High-fived a little too hard. And hugged a little too much. Harrison P. Spader was a personal space invader. But that all changes when he learns the Space Saver rhyme: Arms out front, then out real wide. Now place your arms back by your sides. Author Christianne Jones uses humor and relatable situations to teach early learners about self awareness. This entertaining picture book in the Little Boost series will tackle a much-needed topic for teachers, parents, and librarians. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This book has been an absolute life saver this school year. We have had to do so many extra social skills lessons on personal space with our kindergarten kiddos. This was definitely a favorite and has such great concrete examples. We really wanted to teach students about their "space bubbles" so this book helped set up that lesson. And we are also now able to remind kids to not be "space invaders" thanks to the language in the story. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ONE!

A Link to This Book: 

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Book Reviews: Manners Mash-Up and Time to Say "PLEASE"!


















From the Book Jacket: Should you eat nachos at the opera? What about wearing your birthday suit to a birthday party? And just where DO you put that napkin? These etiquette questions have been puzzling kids for ages. Now, fourteen hilarious and well-loved illustrators show you all the answers and many, many more, right inside this book!

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This has been such a helpful resource to reteach some of our school expectations. When we get to the end of the year a lot of behavior escalates and not in the right direction. This has been a great fit for K-1 grades. Kids love the illustrations and we can keep the school rules conversation feeling positive and not punitive. Areas covered: Bus, Cafeteria, Playground, Classroom, Sportsmanship, Table Manners, Party Manners, House Guest, Doctor's Office, Theater, Grocery Store, and swimming. 













From the Book Jacket: As a companion book to the popular Time to Pee!, Mo Willems has created a book on manners in his own signature style. Groups of ebullient mice narrate this humorous text as young children try in vain to get what they want, learning along the way that it is helpful to say "Please," "Thank you," "Excuse me," and "I'm sorry." Oh, and you have to mean it, too.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I love that Mo Willems is tackling manners. I'm going to use this one to reteach how kindness includes saying "Please," "Thank you," "Excuse me," and "I'm sorry.". Just using those simple phrases really goes a long way and makes our school community a more positive place to learn. A good read!

A Link to These Books: 
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Book Review: The Social Butterfly

Author: Beth Bracken
Illustrator: Sofia Cardoso

From the Book Jacket: Charlotte loves talking, singing, and playing. What Charlotte doesn’t love is sitting still, being quiet, and listening, which is a big problem at school. Charlotte's overly social ways interfere with her friendships and her learning. Will Charlotte be able to modify her behavior and learn when to be social and when to be quiet? A sweet and relatable picture book story that shines a light on social behaviors.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Helping kids develop self control is a big part of what I do. It is hard to sit still!! So when I find great resources like this I am ecstatic. I rely on My Mouth is a Volcano by Julia Cook when I teach active listening skills which is a great resource. But it's also nice to now have a story about the same problem behavior that shows a female character. If you are looking for a good book to help your talkers and strengthen classroom management - this is an awesome one. 

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:
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Book Review: When Sophie Thinks She Can't


Author/Illustrator: Molly Bang
Interest Level: Ages 4 and Up

From the Book Jacket: Everybody faces problems that seem impossible to solve. For children, it can be very frustrating to put together a puzzle, solve a math problem, or learn to read a new word. When Sophie gets stuck, she feels she isn't smart. "I can't do it!" she says. Her friends feel the same way. But their teacher gives them some simple tools, including the Most Important Word. they all try harder - together, until..."WE DID IT!" Now they want to tackle more. 

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Growth Mindset is such an important part of what we teach kids in school. I was so excited to see a new Sophie book around this concept. Sophie's teacher shows the kids the power of YET and how using a positive way of thinking changes their learning - dramatically! They go from wanting to give up to persevering. This is such an awesome resource and it will be a key part of my counseling curriculum in helping kids change their self-talk. Highly recommend!!

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Useful:
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Book Review: Let Me Finish!


Author: Minh Le 
Illustrator: Isabel Roxas
Interest Level: Ages and Up

From the Book Jacket: When our young hero settles in to read, the last thing he wants is for some noisy animals to ruin the ending of the story. But ruin it they do. And as it turns out, the boy is quickly approaching a surprise ending of his own! Maybe he should have listened to the animals after all...

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I think this serves as a great social skills lesson to students. I'm always on the hunt for books that might give a perspective about showing respect when someone is trying to learn or is engaged in a task. Every time the boy in the book tries to read he is interrupted. He becomes QUITE agitated. I see this as a great teaching tool in the classroom. As a community we want to teach students to be aware of how our behavior and actions are impacting others. If someone is trying to learn - be respectful. The ending is to the book is a bit silly but the lesson is CLEAR in the story. Excited to have something new to use when teaching listening skills. 

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful: 
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Book Review: Ready-To-Use Resources for Mindsets in the Classroom


From the Book Jacket: Ready-to-Use Resources for Mindsets in the Classroom provides educators with tools they need to help students change their thinking about their abilities and potential. The book features ready-to-use, interactive tools for students, teachers, parents, administrators, and professional development educators. Parent resources include a sample parent webpage and several growth mindset parent education tools. Other resources include: mindset observation forms, student and teacher "look for," lists of books that contribute to growth mindset thinking, critical thinking strategy write-ups and samples, and a unique study guide for the original book that includes book study models from various schools around the country. This book is prefect for schools looking to implement the ideas in Mindsets in the Classroom so that they can build a growth mindset learning environment. When students believe that dedication and hard work can change their performance in school, they grow to become resilient, successful students. This book contains many of the things that schools need to create a growth mindset school culture in which perseverance can lead to success!

Why It's On My Bookshelf: So thrilled there is a resource guide to go with Mindsets in the Classroom. I blogged about this book about two years ago and was really hoping a curriculum would eventually be published to go with it. My wish came true! I've been piecing together my own lessons around mindset for the past year. This is going to be so helpful to my work in this area. I highly recommend this one to start out your school year. Feeling inspired!









A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful: 



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Book Review: What Does It Mean To Be Present?

Author: Rana DiOrio
Illustrator: Eliza Wheeler
Interest Level: Ages 5 and Up

About This Book: This refreshing, vibrant picture book engages all of the senses to demonstrate the myriad of ways a child can seize the moment. The story sparks meaningful discussions about the important gift of appreciation, giving children and adults alike the opportunity to live more fully and richly.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is the perfect book to start the New Year. It's the absolute cure for all of us (children and adults) who are overwhelmed with anxiety. The message of living in the moment gets lost with everything that is thrown at kids in school etc. Often times we ask kids to set goals when we come back from winter break as part of a New Year's activity. How about a simple goal like - Being Present. I'd love to explore this more with students. It's up to us to model this way of being. Lets get started!

Take a peek at the awesomeness below from What Does It Mean To Be Present. Wish I would have bought this sooner. Thanks to a colleague/wonderful friend, she reminded me of this book She has been reading it with her 5th grade class - with positive results in her classroom community and in the hearts and minds of her dear students. 








A Link to This Book and Others That Might Be Helpful:
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Being the Best Me! Series

Be Positive!
A sense of optimism is a key ingredient to success in life. Guide young children to develop a positive outlook and discover how the choices they make can lead to feeling happy and capable. This friendly, encouraging book introduces preschool and primary-age children to ways of thinking and acting that will help them feel good about themselves and their lives, stay on course when things don't go their way, and contribute to other people's happiness. 















Feel Confident!
Empower children to recognize their individual worth and develop confidence in themselves, their abilities, and the choices they make. Children learn that they can speak up, expect and show respect, try new things, and believe in themselves. Confidence-building skills of accepting yourself, asking for what you need, making decisions, solving problems, and communicating are also discussed. Young children will respond to the true-to-life situations and colorful illustrations. 

Why They Are On My Bookshelf:  These are wonderful! They are uplifting and build self-esteem. The illustrations depict kids in situations where they are trying something new, helping someone, figuring out a problem, or expressing themselves in a positive manner. They feel like bucket filling books.  Great fit for preschool/kindergarten kids. 

Let me share some of the words from the books. 

From Be Positive:
I can choose to be positive
I can decide to think happy thoughts about people and things around me. 
Doing something nice for someone can help me feel happy faster than anything else. 
Things won't always go the way I want, but I can keep trying. 
Even when something seems bad, I can learn from it of find some good in it. 

From Feel Confident: 
I can choose to think confident thoughts. (do my best, be brave, believe, dare, learn, trust, imagine, keep trying, I can do it)
When there is a problem, I can try to do something about it, or ask for help. 
I believe that I can do hard things. 
I'm able to speak up and tell people how I feel and what I want.  

Excited to have these as a counselor but also looking forward to sharing them with my daughter. 


A Link to These Books:  


  You can also find them at Free Spirit Publishing 
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Mindsets in the Classroom

Author: Mary Cay Ricci

From the Book Jacket: When students believe that dedication and hard work can change their performance in school, they grow to become resilient, successful students. Inspired by the popular mindset idea that hard work and effort can lead to success, Mindsets in the Classroom provides educators with ideas for ways to build a growth mindset school culture, wherein students are challenged to change their thinking about their abilities and potential. The book includes a planning template, step-by-step description of a growth mindset culture, and "look-fors" for adopting a differentiated, responsive instruction model teachers can use immediately in their classrooms. It also highlights the importance of critical thinking and teaching students to learn from failure. The book includes a sample professional development plan and ideas for communicating the mindset concept to parents. With this book's easy-to-follow advice, tasks, and strategies, teachers can grow a love of learning in their students.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I'm not in the position to review this book yet because I just got it. But it looks so fabulous and we have talked about the adult version of Mindset in my school before. I had no idea there was a KID version so thank you to the person who commented in one of my blog posts that they use it as a resource. So excited to start reading it. I am always looking for creative inspiration in my profession and I really see this bringing forth A LOT of change in students' thinking.

A Link to This Book:

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Book Review: Your Fantastic Elastic Brain




















Author: JoAnn Deak
Illustrator: Sarah Ackerley
Interest Level: Ages 5 and Up

About This Book: This innovative and timely picture book teaches children that they have the ability to stretch and grow their own brains. It also delivers the crucial message that mistakes are an essential part of learning. 



Why It's On My Bookshelf: I have been wanting this book FOREVER. It was picked as one of our Book of the Month selections at school so copies were ordered for everyone! So why is this book so uber cool in my opinion? It teaches kids ALL about their brains but most importantly:
  • learning new things strengthens the brain
  • making mistakes is one of the best ways your brain learns and grows
  • you can STRETCH the part of your brain that controls your feelings
And much more........

Don't these seem like things kids should know and understand? And shouldn't we be reinforcing these messages as they navigate their ever complicated world? Love this resource and I think it should be on EVERY teacher's shelf in America. Seriously.

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful: 



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Book Review: Clark the Shark

Author: Bruce Hale
Illustrator: Guy Francis
Interest Level: Ages 5 and Up

From the Book Jacket: Clark is a shark with zing, bang, and BOOM. Clark zooms into school, crashes through the classroom, and is rowdy at recess. Clark loves life - but when his enthusiasm is too much for his friends. Clark's teacher, Mrs. Inkydink, helps him figure out a way to tone it down. Clark the Shark celebrates boisterous enthusiasm - and knowing when it's time for indoor voices!

Watch the Book Trailer Here:


Why It's On My Bookshelf: Usually after the first week of school, the behavior honeymoon is over. That's when you need to reach into your book basket and grab Clark the Shark. He is a sweet shark with good intentions but all over the place when it comes to being focused on learning. We need creative approaches when it comes to challenging kids. The students who are struggling with paying attention and being disruptive need empathetic strategies. I plan on rolling out a cute little lesson plan using a shark puppet - I have a feeling I will be referring to Clark MANY TIMES throughout the year. This is a winner folks.  

A Link to This Book:

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Book Review: Ozzie and the Art Contest

Author/Illustrator: Dana Sullivan
Interest Level: Ages 4 and Up

From the Book Jacket: Ozzie loves to draw. Ozzie loves drawing and being an artist more than anything—even more than skateboarding! So when his teacher, Miss Cattywhompus, announces an art contest, Ozzie can’t wait to get started. He works really hard on his picture of a goat. He knows it will win first place. There is only one problem. Miss Cattywhompus didn’t ask the class to draw pictures of goats—the contest instructions say "Draw a Boat." Ozzie’s picture doesn’t win first place. And even though it does win honorable mention, he is devastated. How could he not win? He worked so hard. With a little help from Miss Cattywhompus, Ozzie comes to see that he, with his love of art, has won something far more important than a contest.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is a terrific book for teaching the skill of following directions. And it goes further by showing that a consequence can happen when you don't follow a direction. In Ozzie's case, he is so focused on winning the contest he " glanced at the instructions." Even after the teacher said, "remember to read the instructions very carefully." Ozzie beats himself up emotionally over it though. Finally, he is able to amend his mistake by making the boat. Good lessons in this one.

Really excited about having this new book in my line up for teaching academic skills. It's going to be a hit this fall. 

A Link to This Book: 

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Book Review: Back to Front and Upside Down

by Claire Alexander
Interest Level: K-2
Winner of the 2012 Schneider Family Book Award
 
From the Book Jacket: It's the principal's birthday, and the class is busy writing cards for the special occasion. But Stan's letters tumble out in a muddle. 

With a friend's help, Stan finds the courage to voice his fears. And after lots and lots of practice, Stan's letters come out the right way round and the right way up. 

This warm, sympathetic book deals with a common childhood frustration and will remind readers that everyone has to ask for help sometimes.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Sometimes in life you get exactly what you need at the right moment. I feel that way about books all the time. Back to Front and Upside Down could have not come at a better time. We have a student who is VERY frustrated for lots of reasons. One of his challenges revolves around academic tasks and becoming frustrated when he is stuck or upset when the teacher can't help him right away.

I used this story in his classroom as a social skills lesson on how to overcome your frustrations. Stan uses the skill of asking for help to move forward. This is a really helpful book if you are working with K-2 grades on school readiness skills.

Watch the Book Trailer Here:


A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:

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Book Review: The Call of the Cowboy


Author: David Bruins
Illustrator: Hilary Leung
Interest Level: Ages 4 and Up

A Note From the Publisher: When the bear wants to spend the afternoon photographing birds, the exuberant cowboy inadvertently makes a nuisance of himself as he loudly chews bubble gum, hops on a pogo stick and slurps a pop. When the ninja just wants to read quietly, the cowboy is wildly distracting as he drums on rocks, bats a paddleball and gabs on his cell phone. The cowboy's boisterous mood prompts the ninja and the bear to drop their respective activities, leaving their pal alone to wonder why no one wants to be with him. Can he find the peace and quiet he needs to figure it out?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Ever been focused on an activity and there is a constant interruption? Kinda annoying. Walk into a classroom and you will see all kinds of concentration going on. Take a closer look and you might see some kids off task interrupting that focus. This book is for those little darlings - the invaders of learning. I also love how the story starts out describing cowboy as a good friend, kind, caring, and fun. It's important for the interrupters to know we think they are awesome. But they can be more awesome if they show respect to the other learners around them. This is a short sweet story and it will be making the rounds with me this fall as kids get back into their school groove.

A Link to This Book and Others You Might Find Helpful:


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