Monday June 25th, 2018

Posted on June 24, 2018 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

Some Mondays have passed and I haven’t shared – report cards, end of the year busy, my daughter’s incredible dance show – all pulled me away. Now, I need to play catch up!

Each week I share at least one reading photo of the week. Here are a few.

Reading a little Dan Santat to an imaginary audience

Serious fan of the Fan Brothers.

#classroombookaday titles to share

Wonderfully weird and wild.

Interacting with animals.

Some of my absolute favourites.

Classroom Highlights

We have been making book lists of our favourite titles of the year. This is serious business!

There are book piles everywhere!

Making sure we don’t miss any!

Laying it all out.

Symmetry play in math.

Join Jen from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers and share all of the reading you have done over the week from picture books to young adult novels. Follow the links to read about all of the amazing books the #IMWAYR community has read. It’s the best way to discover what to read next.

Books I loved

Little Robot Alone written by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlin Charest with illustrations by Matt Phelan

I am partial to Phelan’s illustrations. Pretty darn cute. A little robot needs a friend and what a wonderful companion he creates!

If I Had a Horse by Gianna Marino

Just beautiful. Whimsical pages. Horse dreams.

On the Night of the Shooting Star written by Amy Hest and illustrated by Jenni Desmond

We can never have enough delightful and charming friendship books. This one is extra special.

A Bike Like Sergio’s by Maribeth Boelts and illustrated by Noah Z. Jones

So impressed with this team that creates picture books that allow us to look at children’s lives where money is not easy. This book explores challenging, ethical decisions in a child’s life and is so, so well done.

When Sophie Thinks She Can’t… by Molly Bang

All about growth mindset and the power of the magical word Yet. More lesson than story but still worth sharing. Didn’t love this one as much as I was hoping to.

Hawk Rising written by Maria Gianferrari with illustrations by Brian Floca

For three summers in a row, Cooper hawks nested in the trees on our street and in our yard. I have been in love with crows ever since. This book is about red-tailed hawks and we are able to follow them throughout a day. Beautiful illustrations, powerful words. A gorgeous nonfiction title.

What’s Your Favorite Bug? by Eric Carle and Friends (out at the end of July)

I am a real fan of these What’s Your Favorite? series. In a classroom that reads lots of picture books, there is such joy in recognizing the style of a known and loved illustrators! This title is just as wonderful as the others in the series! I will want to purchase a hardcover copy this summer.

Wild Orca: The Oldest, Wisest Whale in the World written by Brenda Patterson and illustrated by Wendell Minor (out in September)

Thank you to Raincoast Books for sending me an ARC of this book. I shared it with my students who were completely enamoured. Especially as many children in my room have been lucky enough to spot orcas from ferries in our BC waters. The students loved that a community watches out for these whales and knows their calls and habits. Lots of learning about wonderful whales that inhabit our oceans.

The Heart and Mind of Frances Pauley by April Stevens

I finished reading this on the bus yesterday on the way to a dance class and found myself quietly sobbing. Just a beautiful book about friendships, nature and the many ways to be alive. Incredible sibling relationship develops over the course of the book. An incredible friendship between young Frances and the more than eighty year old wise and wonderful school bus driver. A place in the rocks. Crow watching. Crisp, cold air. Figuring it all out. Loved this MG title.

Jane, Unlimited by Kristin Cashore

I wanted to love this YA novel. And I really liked aspects of it. But, it was just not for me. Multiple possible endings. And realities? Just too much.

Loser’s Bracket by Chris Crutcher

This book I really liked. Such an exploration of family. If you love YA realistic fiction that is real and true and gritty, I highly recommend this one! I was waking up before 6 a.m. to sneak in pages.

Up next? So excited to begin In Sight of Stars by Gae Polisner

Reading Progress updates:

2018 Chapter Book Challenge: 24/60 complete

2018 Transitional Chapter books: 8/40 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 111/300 books read

Progress on challenge: 32 books behind schedule

#MustReadin2018: 13/30 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 13/40 titles

Diverse Books in 2018: 18/40 books read

Nonfiction 10 for 10 2017: Dive Down Deep

Posted on February 9, 2017 by carriegelson

This year for nonfiction 10 for 10, I invite you to dive into the ocean and explore the wonders of ocean life and ocean exploration.

Thank you to Cathy Mere from Reflect and Refine, Mandy Robek of Enjoy and Embrace Learning and Julie Balen of Write at the Edge for hosting this meme. Click here to read all of the top ten lists shared.

This is my fifth year participating in this meme.

In the first year of #nf10for10 I shared favourite nonfiction titles – many that I have used with my class over the last few years in a variety of ways.

In the second year, I chose to focus on nonfiction picture book biographies that feature inspiring women.

In my third year, I shared nonfiction titles that allow us to think about something from a completely new or different perspective.

Last year I featured titles that allowed readers to travel the world.

Dive Down Deep! Head into the water!

Down Down Down: A Journey to the Bottom of the sea by Steve Jenkins

How can we not be intrigued at the idea that we may only have encountered half of the large animals living in the sea?

Coral Reefs by Jason Chin

In this title, being lost in a book means getting lost in a completely different world – in this case the magical world of coral reefs.

Some amazing creatures:

Neighborhood Sharks: Hunting with the Great Whites of California’s Farallon Islands by Katherine Roy

A mixture of gorgeously painted illustrations, detailed relevant diagrams and the story of how the great whites hunt in the Farallon Islands so successfully. This book illustrates how sharks are perfectly adept hunters, at the top of the food chain.

Giant Squid written by Candace Fleming and illustrated by Eric Rohmann

Such a book. I love the images, the rhythm of the text and the mystery of the still not known that is conveyed.

The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond

An incredible read aloud for children who love to be amazed by nature. I loved the illustration of the blue whale’s mouth with 50 people standing in its lower jaw!

Trapped! A Whale’s Rescue written by Robert Burleigh and illustrated by Wendell Minor

A beautiful, lyrical story with stunning paintings by Wendell Minor. Follow this real life rescue of a humpback whale.

See What a Seal Can Do written by Chris Butterworth and illustrated by Kate Nelms

The reader is invited into the world of seals. Learn all about gray seals – how they move, how they hunt and how their body is perfectly suited to their ocean home.

Celebrating the study of the ocean and ocean life:

Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark by Heather Lang and illustrated by Jodi Solano

“Sharks are magnificent and misunderstood!” This was Clark’s message to the world. Sharks need our respect and our protection.

Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea: Marie Tharp Maps the Ocean Floor written by Robert Burleigh and illustrated by Raúl Colón

I love when nonfiction is the perfect blend of incredible story and breathtaking pictures – increases the wonder factor exponentially!

Life in the Ocean: The Story of Oceanographer Sylvia Earle by Claire A Nivola

The depiction of Earle’s curious childhood in the water, descriptions of moments in her life that truly shaped and changed her, beautiful and enticing illustrations and this very important message: “You can’t care if you don’t know.”

What are your favourite books about the ocean?

Nonfiction favourites from 2016

Posted on December 28, 2016 by carriegelson

While I haven’t read my usual numbers of nonfiction titles this year, I have read enough to have some clear favourites. Here are my top ten of 2016 (published in 2016)

Looking for some incredible nonfiction? I highly recommend all of these. In fact I own all but two of these titles and plan to remedy that soon. All of these books are titles I can see multiple reasons to use over and over in a classroom. A real reason to celebrate them here.

Some Writer! The Story of E.B. White by Melissa Sweet

An incredible title with layer upon layer of stories and illustrations about a beloved author for so many. This is a longer picture book biography (176 pages) perfect for both adults and students.

Cloth Lullaby: The Woven Life of Louise Bourgeois written by Amy Novesky and illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

Simply beautiful. I featured this book here

Dorothea’s Eyes by Barb Rosenstock with illustrations by Gérard DuBois

I look forward to sharing this fantastic biography of photographer Dorothea Lange with my students later in the year. I plan also to share these photos she took in a Japanese Internment camp.

Radiant Child: The Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe

The art in this book is beyond, beyond. Absolutely stunning. An incredible biography made accessible to children. I particularly appreciated the back matter here. Information on Motifs and symbolism in Basquiat’s work is something I will certainly share with students when we explore this book. Steptoe’s author’s note is very important too.

Ada’s Violin: The Story of the Recycled Orchestra of Paraguay written by Susan Hood and illustrated by Sally Wern Comport

There are so many reasons to share this story with children. It is a story of hope, of change, of perseverance, of the power of music and the beauty of community. A story of transformation.

Tooth by Tooth: Comparing Fangs, Tusks, and Chompers written by Sara Levine and illustrated by T.S. Spookytooth

“What kind of animal would you be if your teeth were long enough to stick out of your mouth, even when it was closed?” This is one of many questions posed in this informative and engaging book. Students love to guess and check and this title allows for a lot of that. I highlighted this book here

The Polar Bear by Jenni Desmond

The ideal blend of mesmerizing art and story that informs and prompts more questions. I plan to use this title with other books on polar bears and videos about the shrinking ice in the Arctic seas.

Pink is for Blobfish: Discovering the World’s Perfectly Pink Animals written by Jess Keating with illustrations by David DeGrand

I featured this book here (lots of ideas for how to use in the classroom). This book has been a huge hit in my classroom and we have gone on to become fans of Animals for Smart People videos. You will never think the same about pink again.

Best in Snow by April Pulley Sayre

The photographs, the lyrical language . . . absolutely captivating.

Animals by the Numbers by Steve Jenkins

As always – such interesting information. All communicated via infographics? Perfect.

Thanks to Alyson from Kid Lit Frenzy for the inspiration to read and share more nonfiction picture books in 2016. Follow the link to Alyson’s blog to read about more nonfiction books you need to read!

nfpb2016logo

Monday December 26th, 2016

Posted on December 26, 2016 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

Each week I share a reading photo of the week. This week I got a little carried away 🙂

Here is a photo of Reading Workshop taken in the last week of school. Nothing makes e happier than readers reading.

One day last week I snuck into school to label some new to my class books ready to be book talked in January. Here’s to thieving from our family bookshelves and some great new purchases!

Christmas gift bookstack (my children’s haul)

And for Elisabeth Ellington, one more student self-portrait

On the blog:

Favourites of 2016 – No more than 16 words about 16 favourite books

Books I enjoyed:

The Snurtch written by Sean Ferrell and illustrated by Charles Santoso

Well, if we all have a Snurtch – and I suppose we do – I would hope that mine is this cute. A charming story that reminds us of all the emotions and moods inside of us.

Blue Penguin by Petr Horáček

This is beautifully illustrated! My librarian friend and I went for coffee the other day but we started our visit at the bookshelf where we stood in the picture book section and helped strangers choose gifts for children and grandchildren. Something for a 3 year old? We both reached for Petr Horáček. And penguins?! Can’t go wrong.

The Polar Bear by Jenni Desmond

To say that I am more than happy that Desmond is going to create a series of books on endangered animals is an understatement. Each is a treasure. This one was my holiday gift to myself. A must own title.

The Journey by Francesca Sanna

The art. The sentiments. The story. This is a collage of a collection of stories of people migrating from one home in search of another. A beautiful, important book.

The Bear Who Wasn’t There by LeUyen Pham

Go looking for a bear and you just might not find him. But lots of giggles are on every page as you meet a cast of cheeky characters.

Gertie’s Leap to Greatness by Kate Beasley

Many endearing characters. Gertie, of course and her Aunt Rae. The only thing holding me back from 5 stars for this title is that Gertie’s personality didn’t quite match her age. She seemed younger and it distracted me. Still, looking forward to more from Kate Beasley.

A Whole New Ballgame by Phil Binder

This was a real find! Can’t wait to include this series in my classroom collection. I loved the friendship between Rip and Red. So much loyalty, faith and understanding between these characters.

LumberJanes: Beware the Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson

A little too wacky, colourful and busy for my tastes but I know this graphic series is throughly enjoyed by middle grade readers.

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass

Looking for more mystery titles for my students and realized I hadn’t read this one by Mass. Really enjoyed the friendship here and Jeremy’s search for all kinds of answers.

The Odds of Getting Even by Sheila Turnage

A think a perfect summer would be to rent a little house in Tupelo Landing so that I could spy on Mo and Dale and get a closer look at their adventures. Love these books! (And yes, I know this is a fictional world but after three titles, it all seems so real)

Reading Progress updates:

2016 Chapter Book Challenge: 68/75 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 348/400 books read

Progress on challenge: 45 books behind! Under 50 books to go . . .

#MustReadin2016: 24/30 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 47/100 titles

Diverse Books in 2016: 49/50 books read

Up next? I am working on The Raven King – likely my last #mustreadin2016 I will manage to get to! I started this book in the summer but had to put it down when school got busy – it needs uninterrupted reading time.

20 favourite nonfiction titles of 2015

Posted on December 30, 2015 by carriegelson

I so often agonize over this list, my favourite nonfiction titles of the year. Which titles should go on my favourites list? I have a very special spot for nonfiction picture books and LOVE being part of this Wednesday community hosted by Alyson Beecher.

I literally ran out to the library to pick up holds in the middle of writing this post to squeeze in a few more nonfiction reads. Then, I tried reading and blogging at the same time. I have mastered reading and folding laundry (although the sock matching often goes south) but reading while typing is a tad too challenging. So I took some breaks, read a few more books and made a few changes. Finally, 20 favourites emerged.

I always have a love of picture book biographies I might share in my classroom. So these featured big on this list.

In Mary’s Garden by Tina and Carson Kugler

The Sky Painter written by Margarita Engle and illustrated by Aliona Bereghici

Which Trombone Shorty written by Troy Andrews and illustrated by Bryan Collier

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear written by Lindsay Mattick and illustrated by Sophie Blackall

Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah written by Laurie Ann Thompson and illustrated by Sean Qualls

Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music written by Margarita Engle and illustrated by Rafael López

Tricky Vic: The Impossibly True Story of the Man who Sold the Eiffel Tower by Greg Pizzoli

Swan: The Life and Dance of Anna Pavlova written by Laurel Snyder and illustrated by Julie Morstad

After experiencing water shortages this year on the rainy south coast, water is also on my mind. I found relevant and wonderful 2015 titles.

Raindrops Roll by April Pulley Sayre

Water Is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Jason Chin

And then there are always certain nonfiction topics I am obsessed with: nests and eggs, whales, plants and seeds, endangered animals, Australian animals and rocks. I found titles that covered most of these things from 2015’s offerings.

The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond

Trapped! A Whale’s Rescue written by Robert Burleigh and illustrated by Wendell Minor

A Nest Is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long

Big Red Kangaroo written by Claire Saxby and illustrated by Graham Byrne

Emu written by Claire Saxby and illustrated by Graham Byrne

Counting Lions: Portraits from the Wild is written by Katie Cotton and illustrated by Stephen Walton. Virginia McKenna (from the Born Free Foundation)

A Rock Can Be . . . by Laura Purdie Salas with illustrations by Violeta Dabija

Others that stood out are of course by favourite nonfiction writers Nicola Davies and Steve Jenkins

I (Don’t) Like Snakes written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Luciano Lozano

How to Swallow a Pig by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

Books published by Flying Eye books are often hugely beautiful and extremely interesting. This one about monkeys completely charmed me.

Mad About Monkeys by Owen Davey

Mad about Monkeys 20 favourite nonfiction titles of 2015 There's a Book for That

What are your favourites of 2015?

Thanks to Alyson from Kid Lit Frenzy for the inspiration to read and share more nonfiction picture books in 2015. Follow the link to Alyson’s blog to read about more nonfiction books you need to read!

I wanted to see a whale

Posted on August 5, 2015 by carriegelson

One of my very favourite picture books of all time is If You Want to See a Whale written by Julie Fogliano and illustrated by Erin E. Stead When I first read this book, I had just spent a week at a summer house waiting to see a whale. I never did. But this book reminded me of how very much I longed for one to pass through the ocean as I gazed out ever so patiently at the water.How I adore this book. I love it because it’s beautiful. It is gentle and calm. It reads like I imagined a whale might move – softly, smoothly and ever so gracefully. But I mostly love it because I really do want to see a whale. It tempts me with the possibility. It lures me with the one day . . . The maybe . . .

Now, I love this book for another most perfect reason. Finally, I have seen my whale. We just spent over a week in Roberts Creek on the Sunshine Coast of B.C and we saw a gray whale just off the beach close to where we were staying. Honestly, I got teary. It was one of the most beautiful experiences in nature I have ever had.

Of course we were not the only ones enamoured with this whale. While we watched from shore, a few small boats watched from closer by.

Two kayakers stopped as well.

Here are my children watching the water for sightings of “our” whale. Every few minutes it would surface to exhale.

I was lucky enough to see this whale on three different occasions and each time I watched it for at least thirty minutes. Once, we saw it in the evening. It was so quiet and the sound of the whale exhaling is something I won’t ever forget.

If you are like me and have had dreams of seeing a whale, here are some more picture books – both fiction and nonfiction that will make you long for the experience even more. I have always been “swoony” about whale illustrations. I suspect this sighting will make me more so.

The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond

Trapped! A Whale’s Rescue written by Robert Burleigh and illustrated by Wendell Minor

The Eye of the Whale: A Rescue Story by Jennifer O’Connell

Big Blue Whale written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Nick Maland
Here Come the Humpbacks written by April Pulley Sayre and illustrated by Jamie Hogan
Three Bears in a Boat by David Soman Flotsam by David WiesnerJumping Penguins illustrated by Marije Tolman with text by Jesse Goossens
Following Papa’s Song by Gianna Marino
The Storm Whale by Benji Davies

Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems by Kate Coombs illustrated by Meilo So
The Mermaid and the Shoe by K. G. Campbell
Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem written by Mac Barnett and illustrated by Adam Rex
Wild Ideas: Let Nature Inspire Your Thinking written by Elin Kelsey and illustrated by Soyeon Kim

To the Sea by Cale Atkinson

Have you seen a whale in the wild? I would love to hear about it!

Nonfiction Picture Books – grow a beginning collection

Posted on June 9, 2015 by carriegelson

Recently I created a list of 20 picture books to be gifted to new parents/grandparents to begin growing a picture book collection of beautiful books. I purposely did not include any nonfiction titles because I had this list in mind – 20 incredible nonfiction titles that should be on the family bookshelf.

This list includes recent releases and some favourites I have had for some time. I looked for books that inspire wonder and curiosity about nature and the world. On this list are titles that cover specific concepts with rich language and stunning images. None are too lengthy or complex. The books that are more detailed are perfect for sharing in chunks with a parent/adult reader.

Shopping for gift books for a family? Think nonfiction picture books! Here are 20 beautiful titles:

Listed alphabetically by author

A Nest is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long

There are so many different kinds of nests for so many different creatures. This book is a treasure.

On A Beam of Light- A Story of Albert Einstein by Jennifer Berne and illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky

Wonder, curiosity and thinking outside of the box. Accessible Einstein!

Gravity by Jason Chin

Visual story telling, simple text explain a complex concept so that all readers can grasp it.

Just Ducks! written by Nicola Davies and illustrated by Salvatore Rubbino

Gentle narration infused with facts in this beautifully illustrated book about ducks!

The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond

Explore just how enormous a blue whale really is. Gorgeous.

Some Bugs written by Angela Diterlizzi and illustrated by Brendan Wenzel

Will absolutely inspire some bug hunting! And maybe collecting. Break out the magnifying glasses.

Have You Heard the Nesting Bird? written by Rita Gray illustrated by Kenard Pak

Beautiful lyrical text. Will get everyone outside to listen to beautiful and varied bird song.

Eggs 1, 2, 3: Who Will the Babies Be? by Janet Halfmann, illustrated by Betsy Thompson

Counting. Guessing. Lovely repetition.

Creature Features: 25 Animals Explain Why They Look the Way They Do by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

The format is engaging – each animal is introduced with a mini letter/question and answer.

My First Day by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

What happened on the first day each animal was born? Children love to wonder about animal babies.

Born in the Wild: Baby Mammals and their Parents by Lita Judge

How do mammals care for their babies? Will inspire many conversations about how young children are cared for too.

How Big Were Dinosaurs? by Lita Judge

Were all dinosaurs gigantic? If they were walking around today, just how big would they be?

Wild Ideas: Let Nature Inspire Your Thinking written by Elin Kelsey and illustrated by Soyeon Kim

Will prompt a discussion about perseverance, creativity and inspiration.

Bone by Bone: Comparing Animal Skeletons written by Sara Levine with illustrations by T.S. Spookytooth

A fun interactive style. What kind of animal would you be if . . . ?

Water Is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Jason Chin

A beautiful poetic title about the water in our world.

Raindrops Roll by April Pulley Sayre

Oh these photographs and this beautiful language. Walking in the rain? You will want to go.

Lifetime written by Lola Schaefer and illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal

Math is all around us. Gorgeous illustrations. Fascinating animal facts.

Feathers Not Just for Flying written by Melissa Stewart and illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen

How do birds use their feathers? For so much more than flying . . .

Forest Has a Song poems by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater and illustrated by Robbin Gourley

Beautiful poems about the forest – the perfect place to wander.

Mama Built a Little Nest written by Jennifer Ward and illustrated by Steve Jenkins

Poetic text showcase all of the different nests birds build for their babies.

Give books.

Read books.

Share books.

Often.

Monday June 8th, 2015

Posted on June 7, 2015 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

I have been sharing a reading photo of the week each week. This was taken during buddy reading with the K class. Don’t you just love how completely enthralled this little guy is in this story? Absolute focus. It helps that his buddy is an expressive, keen reader. Ah, book love shared!

My reading this week included:

The Bear’s Sea Escape by Benjamin Chaud

Another adventure of the busy, bustling searching high and low kind. Papa Bear must find Little Bear who has again disappeared. This time, some of the searching happens on a tropical island. What fun!

The Fly by by Petr Horáček

Highly amusing. The story of the highly misunderstood and under loved house fly.

A Nest is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long

I love all of these books by Aston and Long. This is particularly gorgeous and full of fantastic information about various nests. I loved the neighbourly nests.

The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond

I preordered this book based on its gorgeous cover and the buzz I was hearing about it being a beautiful book about whales and oceans and measurement and wow. And, wow! An incredible read aloud for children who love to be amazed by nature. I loved the illustration of the blue whale’s mouth with 50 people standing in its lower jaw! Hoping Jenni Desmond decides to do more books with a nonfiction flair. This is a must own.

Lulu Belle and the Sea Turtle written by Belinda Murrell and illustrated by Serena Geddes

This is the second Lulu Belle that I have read and I am so impressed with this young chapter book series. Perfect for primary students to read independently or a fun read aloud for those little readers not quite able to read on their own. This title is about sea turtles, art shows, a family adventure and a small Australian Aboriginal community.

Son of a Gun by Anne de Graaf

Whoa. A fast read. Haunting. Powerful. About civil war in Liberia and children who are kidnapped and forced to become soldiers. Based on interviews with former child soldiers. Lines in this book stopped me cold.

Updates on my 2015 Reading Goals:

2015 Chapter Book Challenge: 28/80 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 211/415 books read

#MustReadin2015: 11/24 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 46/100 titles

Diverse Books in 2015: 21/50 books read

Up next? I continue to read Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles At school, my students and I are more than half way through Jack by Liesl Shurtliff

Nonfiction Picture Book Dreaming: Spring 2015

Posted on March 4, 2015 by carriegelson

The last time I made a wish list of nonfiction titles I was coveting, I was not able to buy books (long teacher strike). Now, I am making a list with my book purchasing power back in place. Always, I try to budget (not successfully). And always, I dream (very successfully)! We’ll see how many of these end up on my classroom shelves before summer.

Thanks to all of the bloggers I follow for highlighting these titles and keeping my nonfiction wish list ever growing. Here are ten titles I have my eye on!

And yes, there is a bit of a water and whale theme happening here.

Listed in order of publishing date.

Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah written by Laurie Ann Thompson and illustrated by Sean Qualls (January 2015)

Raindrops Roll by April Pulley Sayre (January 2015)

Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh written by Sally M. Walker and illustrated by Jonathan D. Voss (January 2015)

One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Elizabeth Zunon (February 2015)

A Nest Is Noisy by Dianna Hutts Aston and Sylvia Long (March 2015)

Wandering Whale Sharks by Susumu Shingu (March 2015)

The Blue Whale by Jenni Desmond (April 2015)

Trapped! A Whale’s Rescue written by Robert Burleigh and illustrated by Wendell Minor (April 2015)

Water Is Water: A Book About the Water Cycle written by Miranda Paul and illustrated by Jason Chin (May 2015)

Woodpecker Wham! written by April Pulley Sayre and illustrated by Steve Jenkins (May 2015)

Thanks to Alyson from Kid Lit Frenzy for the inspiration to read and share more nonfiction picture books in 2015. Follow the link to Alyson’s blog to read about more nonfiction books you need to read!