Book Review: Lacey Walker, Nonstop Talker

Author: Christianne Jones
Illustrated by Richard Watson
Interest Level: K-3

About This Book: Lacey Walker loves to talk. She talks all day, and sometimes all night. But when she loses her voice, Lacey learns the importance of listening.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Even though the school year is wrapping up, I am already plotting and planning my lessons for the fall. I've got my great standby books ready to go but I also just got some new ones to teach beginning of the year school skills. Lacy Walker, Nonstop Talker (the title rocks) is going to be one of my new heavy hitters for teaching listening. We have some major nonstop talkers (can't wait to introduce those two words!) in some of our classrooms. I know you understand exactly what I am talking about. The kids who just won't stop the chatter. 

This is a unique story about listening because Lacey loses her voice. She realizes all her nonstop talking causes her to miss out on everything. Her silence forces her to be a listener. And what do you know....lots of positive stuff happens. Great lesson in this one. Can't wait for our chatter boxes to LISTEN to this book.

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

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Book Review: You Get What You Get

Author: Julie Gassman
Illustrated by Sarah Horne
Interest Level: K-3

About the Book: Melvin throws fit after fit when he doesn't get what he wants. He must learn how to deal with disappointment. After all, you get what you get and you don't throw a fit.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: What a great new discovery. This is a saying we use A LOT in the younger grades - "You Get What You Get and You Don't Throw a Fit!" I am REALLY excited someone finally turned this great little saying into a helpful book. It is PERFECTLY written. Best part is Melvin goes home and also teaches his family all about this new rule he learns at school from his teacher. Students are always learning to deal with disappointment throughout their school day. This saying is an easy way to help kids cope and move on from whatever small issue they think is an injustice. In life we are not always going to get our way and get what we want - lets remind kids to be happy and grateful for what they do get - not what they don't get.

A Link to This Book: 

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I See I Learn Series

Author: Stuart J Murphy
Website: I See I Learn
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Interest Level: Kindergarten/Preschool

Percy Gets Upset
Sometimes Percy gets upset. He scowls and stamps his feet. But when he learns to take a deep breath, count to ten, and talk about his feelings, he can calm down. When Percy's not upset, he can have fun again!

Percy Plays It Safe
When Percy plays at the park, he's a monster! Roaring and growling, he climbs up the slide, stomps in the sandbox, and jumps off the swing. Will he ever learn how to be a safe monster?




Freda Plans a Picnic
Freda's mom says that she can invite her friends to a picnic in her backyard. There is so much to do, from packing the picnic basket to cleaning up. Will Freda's plan be a success?





Freda Is Found
Freda is excited to be on a class field trip. But after she stops to look in a store window, she can't find her group.






Emma's Friendwich
Emma has just moved to a new city where she doesn't know anyone. When she sees a a girl her age next door, she wonders what she can do to get to know her. What if she smiles, asks to play, and shares her toys?




Camille's Team
Camille loves to build sand forts at the beach. But it's hard to build a big fort alone. Camille and her friends make a plan. They find that they can get more done--and have more fun--when they work together.




Write On, Carlos!
Carlos wants to write his name like some of his friends can. After he practices over and over again, Carlos is proud to show his friends what he can do.





Good Job, Ajay!
Ajay wants to throw a ball strait and far like his big sister, Meera. He tries, but he just can't do it. then his friends remind Ajay how he learned to do other things that seemed hard at the time.




Why They Are On My Bookshelf: Here's what this series covers: making friends, building confidence, playground safety, sequencing, cooperation, dealing with frustration, getting help when lost, and writing your name. These are some of the social/life issues our kids need to master. What better way to learn them then through a concrete series.

Growing up I remember my mom had a set of books similar to these. Granted it was the 70's so they might not have been so vividly illustrated with cool characters. But I read those books OVER and OVER again. They had an impact on me and I remember feeling like a little adult as I gained knowledge about important life skills. I'll be loaning these out to teachers and parents for sure next year. You might want a set of your own to sneak into book boxes in your classrooms. Oh, and of course I'll be reading them to my daughter!

Also, the author talks/previews each book on YouTube. I'm a huge fan of being able to peek at a book before I buy it. Here's a trailer of Emma's Friendwich:



If you check out the series website there are posters you can print out for each book as a teaching tool. It's under the link resources. LOVE!

Enjoy this new series!

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Book Review: The Worst Day of My Life Ever! My Story About Listening and Following Instructions (...or not!)

Author: Julia Cook

Illustrator: Kelsey De Weerd
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

Book Website: www.juliacookonline.com 

Publisher: Boys Town Press
Additional Resources: The Worst Day of My Life EVER! Activity Guide for Teachers; Poster Set

 

From the Book Jacket: RJ has had a rough day...he wakes up with gum stuck in his hair, misses recess because he's late to school, earns a zero on his math homework, kicks the ball into his own team's soccer goal, and messes up Mom's kitchen with his overflowing pancake batter! With his mother's help, RJ learns that his problems happen because he doesn't listen or pay attention to directions from her, his school principal, teachers, or even his friends.

This book is the first in the BEST ME I Can BE! series to teach children social skills that can make home life happier and school more successful. Tips for parents and educators on how to reinforce the skills are included.

Children can also listen to the author's entertaining rendition of RJ's story on the accompanying CD. One track features the text only while a second track includes cues on when to turn the page for youngsters just learning to read.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: All of author Julia Cook's books are STAPLES in my academic skills curriculum. There's a very simple reason I re-read them over and over every year -  they WORK. The best way I know how to help kids overcome academic deficits is to practice these weaknesses. What better way to introduce skills then through an engaging story of a character going through the same struggle.

Some kids have no problem following directions, but other kids like RJ come to school everyday with the best intentions and leave feeling down on themselves. That really breaks my heart. As an educator it's my job to help those students find success. The whole reason I started this blog is because I am finding that success through books. If we want kids to follow directions - lets teach them in a loving and supportive way. 

I've already been using The Worst Day of My Life Ever! to do some re-teaching around following teacher instructions. It's going to make a WORLD of difference when we come back after summer break too. Can't wait to kick off some role plays around following directions with the reinforcement of Julia Cook's latest genius.

A Link to This Book:

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Lively Elizabeth! What Happens When You Push

Author: Mara Bergman

Illustrator: Cassia Thomas
Interest Level: Ages 4-7

From the Book Jacket: Lively Elizabeth lives up to her name - in fact, she's a little bit of a handful! She doesn't mean to hurt anyone, but one day at school she finds out that one little push can lead to BIG problems!

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Let me set the scene for you: It's recess. Children are playing joyfully. The recess bell rings. The students run towards their line and all of a sudden the joy is GONE. There are some kids crying, some on the ground holding scraped knees, others arguing and pointing at each other, and then I get to come over and sort it all out. 


Now granted this does not happen all of the time because we work really hard on having students line up safely - but these are kids - they are not perfect. My saving grace is always a social skills book. I've found a new one, Lively Elizabeth! What Happens When You Push, to help teach self-control and reinforce being safe in school.

Little Miss Lively Elizabeth is not in the same scenario at recess but she does decide to push another boy in class. Which causes a whole domino effect of kids falling into one another. Great illustrations showing cause and effect. 

She experiences the social consequences of kids being upset with her but is forgiven after making an apology for her behavior. Loved the making amends part. Although I've been reading it this Spring, I plan on re-reading it at the beginning of the school year next Fall. It's such a great addition to my library. I'm hoping it will help decrease my "Lord help me" moments at recess.

A Link to This Book:

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Book Review: The Way I Act

Author: Steve Metzger
Illustrations by Janan Cain
Publisher/Book Website: Parenting Press
Companion Book: The Way I Feel
Interest Level: Ages 5-9

From the Book Jacket:

Dancing! Prancing!

Running! Jumping!

Spinning like a top.

When I'm active, I feel GREAT!

And never want to stop.

So exclaims a child alive with joy in her physical self. Some children, like this one, rush headlong into their world; others, equally joyous but perhaps a little more cautious, hang back and watch for a bit. All of them, regardless of their temperament, have to choose how they will respond to the events and people in their lives.

Young school children are eager to figure out how their world works and what its "rules" are. The Way I Act is an enjoyable exploration of what it may be like to behave in certain ways. The door is opened for discussion about the consequences of behavior. In the companion book, The Way I Feel, children learned that feelings come and go and simply are. A little older now, they are ready to think about the ability they have to control how things turn out.

The Way I Act explores thirteen ways of behaving. The friendly verses and bold illustrations convey to the reader many positive ideas of how to act in a variety of situations.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: I've taken a bigger interest in teaching character education the past couple of years.  I'm noticing kids want to learn about the big behavior words like compassionate, persistent, and capable (and lets not forget it's a great way to increase their vocabulary). Thanks to this wonderful new book, The Way I Act, they also want to apply these words to their daily lives. Just yesterday, a 2nd grade boy came up to me and said, "Mrs. D, I was trustworthy when my brother asked me to stay out of his room." It's also nice to use the language back to kids like, "Thanks for following all the directions. You are very capable." The bond books create between adult and child is pretty powerful if you ask me.

TRUSTWORTHY

RESPECTFUL

Helping kids improve behavior and grow into wonderful people is something I love to be a part of and watch. I feel so lucky when I have such a fantastic book to help make that happen. The kids will delight in illustrator Janan Cain's vivid depiction of each character trait. Don't pass this one up.

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

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Book Review: It's Hard To Be A Verb!

Author: Julia Cook
illustrated by Carrie Hartman
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: Being a verb is hard...especially for Louis, who can't seem to control himself when he gets the urge to move at the wrong time and situation. Louis' mom comes to the rescue by teaching him techniques to help keep his inner itching, twitching and jumping to be a verb in check. A positive resource for anyone dealing with ADHD or challenged by someone who has ADHD.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Lots of things I like about this book. The use of the word verb is a perfect way to describe what's going on with Louis. It's sort of a nice and neutral way to explain ADHD behaviors without having to put a label on someone. The first part of the story explains how hard it is for Louis to be in control and someone is constantly on his case because of it. Kids who have these same challenges can absolutely relate to his struggle. But one day mom offers up some solutions. She shows him how to wiggle his wiggles, use a focus squishy, and makes a daily check list. Um, LOVE IT! This makes it easier to introduce my interventions. Also, dad makes a few comments about their strategies being strange. I like that author Julia Cook put this in the book. This is smart. Because it gives me a chance to rebuff that kind of thinking.

I'm so thankful to have a story like It's Hard To Be A Verb. I don't students feeling put-down by their wiggles. Being a verb is tough! But there are ways to redirect those wiggles. Favorite part is the last page when mom shows her acceptance and appreciation of who Louis is....a wonderful verb.  

A Link to This Book:

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Book Review: Katie Loves the Kittens

Author: John Himmelman
Interest Level: Ages 4-9

From the Book Jacket: Katie is just so excited when Sara Ann brings home three little kittens that she can't stop herself from howling "AROOOOOO!" She loves them so much! But Katie's enthusiasm frightens the kittens, and she's sad when they run away from her. Don't they know that she just wants to play?



Why It's On My Bookshelf: Katie Loves the Kittens is delightful, adorable, and even teaches an important social skill - self-control!! I can't even remember how I found this lovely little piece of kid-lit but the first time I read it I couldn't stop giggling! Katie the dog is having the hardest time controlling herself and can't stop howling at the kittens with absolute joy and excitement. The kittens want nothing to do with her and are a bit freaked out by her behavior. I've read this to all of our K-2 grades and the concept of self-control has been so EASY for me to teach thanks to Katie and her impulsive ways. I bring up the word self-control in the middle of the book and I have the kids repeat it. They are total pros now on the concept of controlling oneself and why it's so important. I love the ending to this story. Katie wakes up with the kittens fast asleep and they are snuggled up to her. The picture of her trying to keep it together and not start howling is so cute. I also love how the illustrations show her getting revved up with the wagging of her tail. I ask the kids, "Why isn't Katie howling?" And they say, "Self-control!"

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

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Book Review: Manners on the School Bus (Way to Be! Manners Series)

Author: Amanda Doering Tourville
Interest Level: PreK - Grade 2

What should you say to the bus driver? Find out how good manners make bus rides pleasant for everyone.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Okay, listen up...the honeymoon is over...I repeat...the honeymoon is over. Those of you who work in education know exactly what I'm talking about. Yep, the dreaded bus referrals are here. So I've decided to get proactive this school year. And of course, I can't do that without a trusty book!

Manners on the School Bus has been making its rounds with me to the K-2 grades. Here's what's really cool - the students LOVED learning and reading about good manners and behavior on the bus! The skills modeled in the book are concrete which I love. It shows behaviors like kids sitting safely in their seats, keeping their hands to themselves, and showing respect to each other. Each page ends with a repetitive phrase about good manners. The kids started saying the phrases with me as we read. It's so much more interesting for students (and myself) to talk about bus rules and safety in a way that doesn't come across like some professional lecture. I also jazz up the skills being taught with fun role plays. So next time a referral comes rolling in....if it's a K-2 student they will be re-reading this story with me. I've already had a student on their way off the bus say, "I am having good manners, Mrs. D." A good social skills book strikes again!

A Link to These Books and Others You Might Find Helpful:

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Book Reviews: School Readiness Kindergarten

Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for School?
Author: Barney Saltzberg
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: It's time for school. Is Cornelius P. Mud up? SURE HE IS! He has even made his bed, put on his clothes, and eaten his breakfast. But this is Cornelius, so things are not always what they seem. Despite the clowning around, he makes his way through his morning routine and out to the bus stop, where readers - especially those who loved Cornelius P. Mud, Are You Ready for Bed? - are in for a big surprise.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: At the beginning of the year I really look forward to working with kindergartners. It's a whole new world as a student and being in a classroom all day long. Just getting up in the morning and getting to school might be a challenge. And wouldn't you know it, I found a good one on morning routine! After I read through this one I knew exactly how I wanted to use it. I want to tell them GOOD JOB for getting to school! GOOD JOB for following mom and dad's directions! GOOD JOB for getting ready to be a student! This is a neat way to introduce responsibility, following directions, and completing tasks. Hey, in my opinion they did that the moment they got out of bed and got going! This will be a quick read but I found it enjoyable and relatable for kids. I'm also looking forward to adding this to my parent recommendations for incoming kindergarten kiddos who are having difficulty getting to school. Maybe this could help!

It's Hard to Be Five: Learning How to Work My Control Panel
Author: Jamie Lee Curtis
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: Learning not to hit? Having to wait your turn? Sitting still? It's definitely hard to be five, but Jamie Lee Curtis's encouraging text and Laura Cornell's illustrations make the struggles of self-control a little bit easier, and a lot more fun!

Why It's On My Bookshelf: This is a book some of our kindergarten teachers use along with a writing and art project. Over the years I've noticed the cute drawings up on the walls and the cover of It's Hard to be Five sitting on their bookshelves. Soooo, of course I finally had to pick it up and see what all the fuss is about. And now I totally get it! This book is ADORABLE and validates all the five year olds!

It's hard to be five.
Just yelled at my brother.
My mind says do one thing.
My mouth says another.

It's fun to be five!
Big changes are here!
My body's my car,
and I'm licensed to steer.

This would be wonderful to read not only in the beginning of the year but also the end. Sort of a - WOW. Look at how far you've come! You've been learning responsibility, friendship, how to be a student, dealing with challenges, and accomplishing them. I know it's important to have academic success but it's also important to recognize the aspects of the social and emotional growth kids go through. Try this one out, I think you'll like it! Oh, and here is a link for lesson plan ideas.

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Book Review: Interrupting Chicken

Author: David Ezra Stein
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

From the Book Jacket: It's bedtime for the little red chicken, and Papa is going to read her a story. "You're not going to interrupt the story tonight, are you?" asks Papa. "Oh no, Papa. I'll be good," says the little red chicken. But she just can't help herself! Whether it's Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood, or Chicken Little, as soon as the story gets going...out jumps the little red chicken - right into the story - saving the characters from danger and ending the story early. Will that chicken ever get to sleep?

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Okay, I'm going to politely interrupt my schedule of reviews because I cannot contain my excitement over this new find. I was cruising through the bookstore not even planning on going in the children's section, but of course I could not help myself. And boy am I glad I cruised over there! Interrupting Chicken is my new social skills go to for listening, waiting your turn to talk, and learning to raise your hand. It's really difficult to find GOOD books teaching kids to be socially alert of their impulsive need to interrupt. This one is going to be a BLAST to read to kids. There are always going to be students who blurt out their words or decide to have a conversation while you're talking. Most kids interrupt because they haven't had proper guidance on how to be social thinkers. Interrupting Chicken will help students be better listeners and figure out when it's the appropriate time to use their words. It is an obvious addition to my toolbox. Plus it's cute, adorable, and funny.

Here's a cute highlight Video of Interrupting Chicken. 

A Link to This Book:

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Book Review: Don't Squeal Unless It's A Big Deal: A Tale of Tattletales

Author: Jeanie Franz Ransom

Illustrator: Jackie Urbanovic

Interest Level: Ages 5-8

About This Book: It all started when Jessica trit-trotted up to Mrs. McNeal's desk... "Peter pulled my pigtail!" And soon..."Rachel took my marker!" "Frankie called sookie a fat sow!" "Justin ripped my paper!" !" "Can anyone tell me what squealing is?" Mrs. McNeal shouted, waving her cowbell.

Don't Squeal Unless It's a Big Deal helps kids figure out the difference between Big Deals that need telling and kid-sized problems that kids can work out themselves, With a note to teachers and parents about why children squeal and how to help them deal on their own. -from the book jacket

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Tattling. Let me define it for you.....behavior by children that will send teachers and parents over the edge to the land of unhappiness and complete insanity. Tattling has been around forever. How am I an expert on this? Because I used to tattle on my sisters when I was a kid. Why did I tattle? Oh, I SO loved getting the attention (look Mom, I know the rules!), liked being bossy at times, and it was also a nice revenge move on my sisters.  I know. Shameful. And now the revenge has been turned on me. I work with about four hundred K-5 students and yep.....they sure can tattle! So being the proactive lady I am....I have scoured the EARTH for SOLID books on tattling. I say solid because I am not a fan of books that make kids feel bad for tattling. Not cool. Don't Squeal Unless It's a Big Deal is definitely a favorite. I work really hard on helping students see the difference between small problems ("Laura looked at me!") and big problems ("Laura punched me!"). Hint: make sure to incorporate lessons on how to problem solve with tattling lessons. If they truly don't know how to solve a problem - then of course they'll tattle! I seriously notice a decrease in tattling when the kids feel educated and AWARE of their behavior. And of course I have a blast with this lesson when I use my trusty pig puppets. The kids love coming up and using the puppets to figure out how not to sweat the small stuff.

A Link to This Book:

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Book Review: Personal Space Camp With Activity and Idea Book

Author: Julia Cook

Illustrator: Carrie Hartman
Interest Level: Ages 4-8

About This Book: Louis is back! And this time, he's learning all about personal space. Louis, a self-taught space expert is delighted to learn that his teacher has sent him to the principal's office to attend personal space camp. Eager to learn more about lunar landings, space suits, and other cosmic concepts, Louis soon discovers that he has much to learn about personal space right here on earth. Written with style, wit, and rhythm, Personal Space Camp addresses the complex issue of respect for another person's physical boundaries. Told from Louis' perspective, this story is a must-have resource for parents, teachers, and counselors who want to communicate the idea of personal space in a manner that connects with kids.

About The Supplementary Guide: This is the perfect companion to Personal Space Camp. This teacher's guide will further help you teach your students how to recognize and respect the personal space zones of others. Through interactive discussion questions and exercises, you'll be able to teach children the concept of personal space and help them realize the value of respecting other's feelings by giving them the "room" they need.

Why It's On My Bookshelf: Julia Cook's books are an absolute hit with our students. I was ecstatic when I found Personal Space Camp. I'd already been using My Mouth Is A Volcano to reinforce school skills like raising your hand and waiting your turn to talk. But what about when kids are in each others space during "carpet time" or pushing and shoving in the cafeteria line? These behaviors can make instruction difficult and cause a lot of teacher angst. I don't know how many times I've had to say, "Please, keep your hands to yourself." Personal Space Camp is a life saver book. Angst will be decreased!  

A Link to This Book:

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Book Review: Howard B Wigglebottom Learns to Listen

Author: Howard Binkow

Illustrated by Susan Cornelison
Interest Level: Preschool - Age 7


About This Book: Meet Howard B. Wigglebottom, a curious rabbit who just doesn't listen! This new illustrated book, has been created to help children, ages 4-7, improve their listening skills and pay attention. Educators, parents, and children alike will laugh and learn as Howard B. Wigglebottom learns to listen.
 
Why It's On My Bookshelf: It is very difficult to find engaging and fun books that teach school skills. At least that has been my experience. Howard B Wigglebottom Learns to Listen is perfect for preschool - 1st grade. It is an excellent tool to teach listening skills. You can have a lot of fun with this book by using ideas from the author's website We Do Listen. I wish there were more books on the market like this to help teach listening to young children. If you are looking for more ways to teach school skills, get this on your bookshelf.
 
PS. To have even more fun with this book - wear bunny ears. The kids love it. 
 

A Link To This Book:

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