Category Archives: Book Review

Reading Aloud – To You! Part 5 (and a Bonus)

My reading aloud The Poet’s Dog by Patricia MacLachlan continues with chapters eight and nine.  Chapter eight is 3:27 and chapter nine is 3:39. Sylvan is stubborn about taking his medicine.  Flora wonders if Sylvan really left Teddy. She worries what will … Continue reading

Posted in Author interview, Book Review, books, chapter reading, children's books, Early Education, history, Particia MacLachlan, picture books, reading, reading aloud | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 38 Comments

Reading Aloud – To You! Part 3

I continue reading aloud The Poet’s Dog, by Patricia MacLachlan, with chapters four and five.  Chapter four is 4:22 and chapter five is 4:32. In chapters two and three, Teddy took the children to the cabin.  We learned about Sylvan.  … Continue reading

Posted in Book Review, books, chapter reading, children's books, Dogs, Inspiration, Particia MacLachlan, Poetry, reading aloud | Tagged , , , , , | 30 Comments

Reading Aloud – To You! Part 2

Dogs speak words But only poets And children Hear ~Patricia MacLachlan~ I continue reading aloud The Poet’s Dog, by Patricia MacLachlan, with chapters two and three.  Chapter two is 6:48 and chapter three is 1:44. In chapter one you met Teddy … Continue reading

Posted in Book Review, chapter reading, children's books, Early Education, Inspiration, joy, Kindness, Particia MacLachlan, reading, reading aloud, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , | 65 Comments

Reading Aloud to My Preschooler – Thirty Years Later

My first read-aloud for the library this year was scheduled early.  It was only a few days after Labor Day.  I was excited. It was going to be the year of dog books, as I planned to read The Poet’s … Continue reading

Posted in Book Review, chapter reading, Early Education, Inspiration, Particia MacLachlan, reading aloud, Student alumni | Tagged , , , , , , , | 53 Comments

A Baby Bird Who Thinks I’m Her Mother

There she was on the playground, a tiny baby bird who could not yet fly.  The children saw her first.  Above was an enormous tree.  The branches were far out of reach.  If there was a nest way up there, … Continue reading

Posted in Book Review, books, children's books, Early Education, Mother Nature, Nature, picture books, reading aloud, Teaching young children, wonder | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 67 Comments

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble Turns 50 at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

William Steig is one of my favorite author/illustrators.  I have most of his books.  I’ve been reading his books to children since I started teaching thirty-five years ago.  Sylvester and the Magic Pebble, one of his best, turned 50 years … Continue reading

Posted in art, Book Review, books, children's books, Early Education, Eric Carle, Inspiration, museums, picture books, reading aloud, The Arts | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 81 Comments

Two Moons, Two Jane Yolen Books

The year was 1987.  I had been teaching preschool for three years.  I was immersed in children’s books, reading the great ones and the new ones.  That was the year I became picky about books, because what I read aloud … Continue reading

Posted in Author interview, Book Review, books, children's books, Early Education, Eric Carle, Inspiration, picture books, preschool, reading aloud, reading aloud, Teaching young children, wonder | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 81 Comments

Wish Tree

Have you ever seen  a Wish Tree? Walking along a beach on Cape Cod with friends, we rounded a bend along the sand where it meets the shore.  This was a remote stretch of the beach, quite a distance from … Continue reading

Posted in Book Review, books, chapter reading, children's books, Diversity, Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Inspiration, Nature, reading, reading aloud, Teaching young children, wonder | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 83 Comments

Charlotte’s Web – Another Story

Mac was in my preschool class for the past two years.  He always loved chapter reading and was a vessel full of questions.  Does chapter reading work with the youngest of children?  Can a four-year-old grasp the content?  Do they … Continue reading

Posted in Book Review, books, chapter reading, children's books, Death and dying, E.B. White, Early Education, Expressing words and feelings, Kindness, preschool, reading aloud, reading aloud, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , , | 55 Comments

The Star-Spangled Banner

This is a repost, one of my favorite songs and books, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Happy Birthday, America. Bringing our National Anthem to Life Few books have the power to move young students and make a difference; this one does. Whenever … Continue reading

Posted in America, American flag, Book Review, children's books, Early Education, history, Inspiration, patriotism, picture books, reading aloud, reading aloud, Singing, Teaching young children | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 46 Comments