Monday September 17th, 2018

Posted on September 16, 2018 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

Each week I share at least one reading photo of the week. Now that we are back to school and I have my new class, I have some photos to share.

I love this one: “I found a big WOW!”

One reader with a big pile of books.

Reading is better with a friend.

Ks came to buddy read!

#classroombookaday titles on the theme of friendship. We learned that sometimes we find friends in unexpected ways.

Classroom Highlights

Dot day art making was a lot of fun!

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:

The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates, co written with Juniper Bates

A big message – we all belong and there is room for all of us. Wow, is this one timely. Gorgeous.

Let Me Finish! written by Minh Lé and illustrated by Isabel Roxas

A clever way to send the message – don’t spoil the story! Would pair wonderfully with How to Read a Story and Interrupting Chicken. Excited to share this one with my class.

Full of Fall by April Pulley Sayre.

A seasonal stunner. Going to be first up tomorrow and will lead the way for a number of other books celebrating autumn. Photographs and poetic text are purely spectacular.

Mission Defrostable (Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast #3) written by Josh Funk with illustrations byBrendan Kearney

Another rhyming escapade full of adventure in the fridge (and now freezer). This one has a whole lot of humour and some mysterious surprises. Huge kid appeal.

The Itchy Book! (An Elephant and Piggie Like Reading book) by LeUyen Pham

Is it possible to read this book aloud and not get itchy? Not smirk if not out and out giggle? Nope.

A True Home (Heartwood Hotel #1) by Kallie George

I finally got to read the first book in this series (a little longer than many transitional chapter titles but still a lovely balance between text and illustrations). It is definitely sweet and engaging. Lots of adventure but also real character development. Can see young readers loving this one.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

I was kind of blown away by this one – partly because so many story events were based on Yang’s actual childhood. A book that examines immigration, the sacrifices of immigrant parents, poverty, discrimination and the incredible will and spirit of a pretty incredible character – Mia. I have been recommending this widely.

Lousiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo

I read this in one sitting and I am in love. DiCamillo is some kind of writer. This story is absolutely beautifully written. Take an emotional walk alongside Louisiana Elefante as she tells her story. What a story! I could listen to this girl all day. Especially if I won one of those deliciously described cakes in the betty Allen Cake Raffle. Chocolate marble please. Cake, coffee and this story. Perfection.

Up next? I am reading Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

Reading Progress updates:

2018 Chapter Book Challenge: 36/60 complete

2018 Transitional Chapter books: 13/40 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 159/300 books read

Progress on challenge: 53 books behind schedule

#MustReadin2018: 19/30 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 20/40 titles

Diverse Books in 2018: 29/40 books read

Monday May 14th, 2018

Posted on May 13, 2018 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

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

Nonfiction sharing circles to generate excitement about nonfiction reading!

Quiet moments during Reading Workshop.

This little Dory Fantasmagory fan can’t put this series down!

How I love independent reading time!

I need to play catch up with sharing #classroombookaday titles Here are the books we have been reading. See if you can guess each weekly theme.

Classroom Highlights

Making mini homes in the Art and Discovery studio. These are just incredible!

Drawing our creations.

Nonfiction fact detectives.

Making nature art in the garden with fallen materials.

Gorgeous flower gardens painted for Mother’s Day cards.

Books I loved:

I Walk with Vanessa: A Story about a Simple Act of Kindness by Kerascoët

This book is a must own, must share title. One of the loveliest titles to talk about what it is to stand up and stand with someone who has been bullied. Wordless and absolutely wonderful.

Yak and Dove written by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Esmé Shapiro

I love the quirkiness of Maclear’s books – this one still has some eccentric elements but it is a wonderful collection of three friendship stories.

One Family by George Shannon with illustrations by Blanca Gomez

One family might be so many things.

Albie Newton written by Josh Funk with illustrations by Ester Garay

Josh Funk introduces us to little Albie Newton, boy genius. Little Albie has concocted quite the plan to make some new friends. Will his classroom survive a day of his tinkering and imagining? Told in Funk’s signature rhyming style.

I’ve Got Feet!: Fantastical Feet of the Animal World by Julie Murphy with illustrations by Hannah Tolson

The perfect story time nonfiction read aloud for younger listeners. The unique feet animals have and how they use them.

Alfie: (The Turtle That Disappeared) by Thyra Heder

Kind of brilliant. Tells a pet story like none I have ever read.

The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor

Middle grade perfection. Connor just keeps getting better and better. I dare you not to want to root for Mason Buttle as every kind of grief soaked kind of bad luck gets thrown at him. This story has so many layers. Would be a fantastic read aloud in a middle grade classroom. (Grade 5 and up)

A Land of Permanent Goodbyes by Atia Abawi

This young adult novel does not shy away from any of the harrowing details that are part of a refugee’s journey. Follow Tareq and his family as he leaves Syria in search of safety and hope.

Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai

I learned so much about the Syrian crisis in this book about Nadia and her desperate search to become reunited with her family as her city is being bombed. This is a middle grade read.

Up next? Think I will be picking up an adult novel – every so often, it happens!

Reading Progress updates:

2018 Chapter Book Challenge: 20/60 complete

2018 Transitional Chapter books: 8/40 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 95/300 books read

Progress on challenge: 14 books behind schedule

#MustReadin2018: 12/30 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 9/40 titles

Diverse Books in 2018: 16/40 books read

Monday May 22nd, 2017

Posted on May 21, 2017 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

Each week I share a reading photo of the week. Or two 🙂

These two are pointing out that we just have the first six titles in this series and . . . don’t I feel like doing a little book shopping? Because there are more titles . . . Hint. Hint. How can I resist?

Kids and books are everywhere during buddy reading!

#classroombookaday photo We have been travelling the world learning about biomes, ecosystems, evolution, endangered animals, etc. Love nonfiction books!

Books I enjoyed:

The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Bicycle written by Jude Isabella and illustrated by Simone Shin

This Citizen Kid title would make an excellent read aloud in the classroom. One very special bicycle makes its way from North America to West Africa.

Melvis and Elvis written by Dennis Lee and illustrated by Jeremy Tankard

My children were raised on Dennis Lee! I love sharing his work in the classroom too and this title will find a spot next to all of our other Dennis Lee titles in the poetry section on our shelves. Lots of silly here!

The Case of the Stinky Stench written by Josh Funk and illustrated by Brendan Kearney

Another full out fridge adventure. Some suspicious stenches accompany Josh Funk’s delightful rhyming text. Another winner!

My Canada: An Illustrated Atlas by Katherine Dearlove and illustrated by Lori Joy Smith

Can’t wait to share this one in my classroom. Perfect title for students to navigate.

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly

This might be my favourite title so far by Kelly. Four main characters and some delightful supporting roles (love Virgil’s Lola). Unique characters here. Individual. Lonely. Determined. A highly, highly recommended middle grade read.

Reading Progress updates:

2017 Chapter Book Challenge: 26/75 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 129/365 books read

Progress on challenge: 11 books behind schedule

#MustReadin2017: 15/30 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 21/50 titles

Diverse Books in 2016: 20/50 books read

Up next? I have a few titles on the go including Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel by Kimberly Willis Holt and See You in the Cosmos by Jack Cheng

Monday August 22nd, 2016

Posted on August 21, 2016 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

Each week I share a reading photo of the week. During the summer, these photos will be about getting my classroom library up and running for a room full of readers in September.

Here is my read aloud by theme collection nicely tucked into a cabinet.

Nonfiction? Yes! One area (still missing labels) sorted and ready for readers. Working on another area tomorrow.

This week, I started labelling spines by genre. Getting there literally one book at a time.

Books I enjoyed:

Pirasaurs written by Josh Funk and illustrated by Michael Slack

Huge kid appeal in this title. I featured it earlier this week here.

The Knowing Book written by Rebecca Kai Dotlich with illustrations by Matthew Cordell

When this book was first published, someone said it was my kind of book. It is most definitely my kind of book. Gently perfect. I think I need to own it.

A Beginner’s Guide To Bear Spotting by Michelle Robinson with illustrations by David Roberts

This is funny – funny while all the while worried about a child actually getting mauled by a bear – funny. Very interesting to use as a mentor text for writing – how are facts and humour woven throughout? Would love to read this aloud to a group of students.

Ooko by Esmé Shapiro

The perfect kind of quirky, charming story line and illustrations. Lots of humour. And a dose of what to look for in a friend advice. Pay close attention.

The Dunderheads by Paul Fleischman with illustrations by David Roberts

How had I missed reading this one? Love David Roberts’ illustrations here. .

This is NOT a Cat! by David Larochelle with illustrations by Mike Wohnoutka

This would be a very fun and loud read aloud experience with little listeners who would soon become active participants. Such fun!

Clara Humble and the Not so Super Powers by Anna Humphrey with illustrations by Lisa Cinar

This is the first book in a new series perfectly suited to readers Grade 3 and up. Clara Humble is convinced that she has super powers. More and more things happen that make it seem perfectly plausible. And if you have super powers, you really should use them . . . Right? This title has much young reader appeal: interesting comic drawings featuring @Cat (Clara’s very own comic strip), an honest, mistake making character full of creative plans and imaginative thinking and a plot full of action, adventure and friendship mishaps. Like many chapter book series for younger readers, this title is fast paced and funny but it doesn’t shy away from allowing the reader to experience some of Clara’s challenges and blunders and what she needs to do to make things right. I look forward to introducing this series to my new class this fall.

Nine, Ten: A September 11th Story by Nora Raleigh Baskin

Told from the perspective of four different young characters in the few days preceding September 11th, 2001, this novel weaves themes of human connection, vulnerabilities and emotions. Powerful, honest and important. Beautiful writing by Baskin.

Reading Progress updates:

2016 Chapter Book Challenge: 34/75 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 231/400 books read

#MustReadin2016: 20/30 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 32/100 titles

Diverse Books in 2016: 29/50 books read

Up Next? I am reading The Land of Forgotten Girls by Erin Entrada Kelly

Pirates? Dinosaurs? No! Pirasaurs!

Posted on August 16, 2016 by carriegelson

If kids were in charge of the world, there would be a lot more french fries. And huge twisty slides everywhere. Trampolines. Swimming pools. Candy by the bucket. Rollercoasters in school playgrounds. You get the idea.

And the creatures! We’d have pet monsters. Frogs in our bathtubs. Ponies? One would arrive on everyone’s fifth birthday. Automatically. No wishing or pleading necessary. Dragons and unicorns would absolutely exist. And of course dinosaurs would not be extinct.

And all of those exciting characters you might want to spend time with? Magicians? Witches? Wizards? Pirates? Trolls? A sorceress or two? Robots who do chores and serve customized ice cream sundaes? Of course they would be around. They might even live next door.

There would be many an adventure. Like treasure hunting. Sword fights. Bewitching things. Time travel.

When books hold promise of all of this fun and adventure? When they make us giggle? When they are silly and full of hoped for possibility? Then they have big time kid appeal.

Big time kid appeal means children fall in love with a book because it has a whole bunch of things they adore all in one place. It’s meant just for them. When we read them these books aloud, big kinda surprised eyes look up at us like we have just granted permission to eat pizza and milkshakes while having a bubble bath with a new puppy. “Ah, you get it! Fun!”

Josh Funk gets fun. He gets kid appeal. He offers up some of those things children wish for. The adventure. The duelling. Finding treasure. And he makes up the best characters! First it was royal breakfast food who raced about in the fridge.

Now he has imagined pirate dinosaurs. Who hunt treasure and battle.

Kid appeal and then some.

Author Josh Funk gives a sneak peek:

We’re Pirasaurs! We’re Pirasaurs!

We grunt and roar and sneer!

We’ll steal your books with tails and hooks

And own the blogosphere!

We’re Pirasaurs! We’re Pirasaurs!

We pose a giant threat!

We’ll slash and duel and soon we’ll rule

The world-wide internet!

We’re Pirasaurs! We’re Pirasaurs!

Our story is fantastic!

This grand hardback by Funk & Slack

Is published by Scholastic!

… and will be available on August 30th wherever books are sold!

So be on the lookout! The Pirasaurs are arriving soon.

Hint, hint, that’s them rowing towards you! (Don’t claim you haven’t been warned!)

Thanks to the creative energies of author Josh Funk and illustrator Michael Slack, there will be many a young reader asking for this book to be read aloud just once more!

I am thrilled to celebrate the happy anticipation of this new release!

Don’t you wish you were a pirasaur?

Monday September 28th, 2015

Posted on September 27, 2015 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

I have been sharing a reading photo of the week each week. This week I had to share a very special reading moment. This is one of many reading duos that happens during afternoon reading where a more confident reader spontaneously reads aloud to a growing reader who joins in when he or she can. It it a pretty delightful thing to watch.

I missed last week’s post due to a computer glitch so this is 2 weeks worth of updates. I narrowed it down to my favourite picture books to keep the list reasonable.

On the blog:

For Top Ten Tuesday: Ten dinner invitations I would accept in the world of MG/YA fiction

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday: Some beginning read alouds

An honest check in regarding the literacy in my new classroom: Celebration: From Here

Celebration: Little Sparks (a week later we are beginning to fan those little sparks)

Books I loved:

I am Yoga written by Susan Verde and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

Gorgeous. It reads calm and pure just like its message.

Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast written by Josh Funk and illustrated by Brendan Kearney

I was so thrilled to share this title as a read aloud and am even more excited to invite my last year’s students to a recess read aloud later this week (we pre-loved this book back in June). So much silly, so much funny, rhymes that work and a trail of suspense as we move through a refrigerator adventure. We laughed a lot during this book but there was also lots of absolutely “captured” little faces waiting to discover what would happen next! Josh Funk managed to achieve an ideal balance between the silly and the adventure. I actually read this aloud to an adult after school on Thursday who was equally captivated. It’s that good that you immediately want to rush out and find a listener!

Some highlights of our read aloud experience:

Early on when Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast announced that they were going to race for the last drop of syrup, one little boy started to quietly chant, “Share it! Share it!” At the end, he shook his head. “See, they should have shared.”
On page four, one child leaned into another and announced: “I like this book already.”
During the bean avalanche, one little boy started shaking his head, “Oh oh. The beans are waking up and getting cranky.”
When BVW did his thing (avoiding a spoiler alert for those of you who haven’t read it), many children began a conversation that ended with general consensus that BVW should be eaten!
There was pure despair when the butter was going to be shared. “No, don’t let the butter die!”
During playtime, about 30 minutes after we finished the book, one little boy came up to me and said very seriously, “I’m voting for the waffle.”
This was our #classroombookaday book of the week with many many votes and a little note scrawled on the chalkboard that I discovered at the end of the day “+ 500 more”

In a Cloud of Dust by Alma Fullerton and illustrated by Brian Deines

An important book that depicts how access to education is so very complicated. With a bicycle, a long arduous walk transforms into a manageable ride.

Elwood Bigfoot: Wanted: Birdie Friends by Jill Esbaum and illustrated by Nate Wragg

This is one sweet book. So lovely that I will soon be featuring it on the blog with student reactions (also very sweet). I am completely smitten with Elwood.

Water Can Be . . . by Laura Purdie Salas and illustrated by Violeta Dabija

I adore all of these titles by Salas and Dabija but am perhaps most excited to share this one with my class when we begin our theme on water in a few weeks. Such an amazing book to allow students to think more broadly and creatively about something so much a part of their lives.

Hilo: The Boy who Crashed to the Earth by Judd Winick

Oh Hilo! Joy. Adventure. High degree of action. Engaging characters. An absolute winner in the graphic novel department.

The Mountain Story by Lori Lansens

It is totally cliche to talk of being completely lost in a book about being lost in the mountains. But, this book pulled me in and I had a really difficult time putting it down. Lori Lansens is one of my all time favourite writers so I couldn’t miss this title when I heard it was released. An incredible survival story that leads us nowhere safe through memories, dreams and visions. Wolf Truly sets off on his eighteenth birthday to jump to his death from a ridge overlooking Palm Springs. Up on the mountain he meets three women, three generations of one family who become stranded with Wolf. This is a story you won’t soon forget.

Updates on my 2015 Reading Goals:

2015 Chapter Book Challenge: 54/80 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 332/415 books read

#MustReadin2015: 16/24 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 60/100 titles

Diverse Books in 2015: 39/50 books read

Up next? I am reading a number of titles including Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty ( a rare adult read)

Celebration: Little Sparks

Posted on September 26, 2015 by carriegelson

How I love looking back over a week to find reasons to celebrate. They are always there.

Each day, my classroom is becoming more of a community. Little sparks start it out.

We honour play, creativity and childhood vision. Getting outside everyday matters.

Time with our Kindergarten buddies – afternoon walks and playground play are paving the way for buddy reading that will begin soon.

The book love has caught on. The children are asking for “book time” right after lunch. What do I notice? Some sit individually with books and get immediately lost. Buddy reading happens naturally. Some children love to get into our bins of board books

Readers are supporting growing readers who chime in when they can. Certain books are read over and over.

One child said to me this week, “You have the best books!” I replied, “We have the best books.” We shared some delighted smiles.

Our #classroombookaday is a huge hit! The Friday voting is a favourite thing. This week’s winner? Josh Funk‘s Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast Such fun!

This week I celebrate the little sparks, the moments when the learning took over and the routines that are beginning to settle. I also celebrate that while there are lots of needs and times where we are just hanging in, we still are experiencing it as a community.

“I think we need about 100 adults,” one little boy spoke wisely in one such moment and we all burst out laughing. Slowly, but surely . . . One step at a time. With each other. We are fanning these little sparks and the learning momentum is heating up.

Thank you to Ruth Ayres and the #celebratelu community!

Being part of a community that regularly shares gratitude and celebrations truly transforms my weeks.

Monday June 15th, 2015

Posted on June 14, 2015 by carriegelson

It’s Monday! What are you reading?

I have been sharing a reading photo of the week each week. This week I had a LOT of amazing reading related photos. I managed to narrow it down to these two.

Here are some of my boys during Reading Workshop. I love their focus. I love the little community they formed for this morning of reading. I love that they just read and read and read.

This photo is about a little bit of Ballet Cat love. I shared Ballet Cat by Bob Shea with my class. During buddy reading, one of my students read it to Ms. Ishihara. She shared it with her K class and had them go outside and draw ballet cat in chalk. After school, two girls showed me their drawings. I asked if I could take their picture. “Yes!” they agreed. Then, they lay down beside their art, “We’re dancing with her,” they explained! Can’t possibly get more charming than this!

Report cards are due this week and so I have read less (because of the writing) and blogged more (because I would rather be writing what I want) so I am sharing some recent posts and only a few books.

This week I shared a collection of beautiful nonfiction titles perfect for the family bookshelf. Gifting books? Choose one of these

Nonfiction Picture Books- Grow a beginning collection

I also participated in Top Ten Tuesday for the very first time and shared a list of books I am happily anticipating in the rest of 2015.

And we all know book love – we fall into it often. But here is some wonderful pre-book love shared in my classroom for Josh Funk‘s first picture book: Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast

Celebration: Predictions, Book Love and Syrup

The books I read this week:

The Story of Life: A First Book about Evolution by Catherine Barr and Steve Williams, illustrated by Amy Husband

I just read Island: A Story of the Galápagos by Jason Chin to my class to introduce the concept of evolution. Many children were enthralled. I would happily book talk this title and let them carefully examine all of the details amongst themselves. Fun illustrations and lots of information.

The Secret Life of Squirrels by Nancy Rose

I really don’t like squirrels. I appreciate how complex the photography was for this book. But I really don’t like squirrels. The amusing was lost on me as I was just irritated by the thought of squirrels running up the side of my house, raiding my bird feeders, etc.

You are (Not) Small by Anna Kang and illustrated by Christopher Weyant

A simple little title with huge humour. Absolutely brilliant. I don’t want to give anything away but I do highly recommend picking up this book if you haven’t read it.

Anna Hibiscus by Atinuke

I am falling more and more for this author. Just a delightful young chapter book. Perfect for new chapter book readers or a classroom read aloud in primary. This title has so much going for it that it beautifully unique – set in Africa, full of family celebrations and each chapter is a tiny story.

Love, Ruby Lavender by Deborah Wiles

Grandmothers and granddaughters, small town charm, chickens and Deborah Wiles. Oh did I love this one.

Updates on my 2015 Reading Goals:

2015 Chapter Book Challenge: 29/80 complete

Goodreads Challenge: 216/415 books read

#MustReadin2015: 11/24 complete

Nonfiction Picture Book Challenge: 46/100 titles

Diverse Books in 2015: 22/50 books read

Up next? I am reading Call Me By My Name by John Ed Bradley

Celebration: Predictions, Book Love and Syrup

Posted on June 12, 2015 by carriegelson

This week I celebrate the wonderful passion my students have for picture books. Intense, obsessive and excited passion. We are a classroom of book lovers. Our room is FULL of books. But the thought of something new and fun and entertaining . . . it inspires book longing of the jump about and shout kind. Lots and lots of “We must have it now” eagerness.

It all started with 2 buttons that Josh Funk sent to me . . .

You might have seen them tweeted . . .

Have you decided? Come by booth 1467 tomorrow & let us know: Whose team are you on? #BEA15 @joshfunkbooks pic.twitter.com/KtGb5BwLvo

— Sterling Publishing (@SterlingBooks) May 28, 2015

I decided that it might be fun to get my students talking about this book. We talked about how we might predict something about a book that has not even been published yet. I gave them three clues: 1. It’s fiction 2. It’s a picture book 3. These two buttons . . .

I explained that their focus should be on the character names, not that there were teams. What were we thinking? What could we predict about the characters? Where did the story take place? What might happen? What might it be called?

It got loud pretty quickly.

“I think they are going to eat each other.”

“No, then there is no story.”

“That is the story!”

“They are both flat things.”

“And good!”

“Yummy!”

“I don’t even like French Toast.”

“They might come to Canada because we have the best maple syrup.”

“They might have a baby.”

“Baby bacon!”

“There might be butter.”

“And syrup!”

“Hold on, if we give him good ideas, will he use them in his next book?”

“That’s okay. He will give us credit. He will write all our names and say from Ms. Gelson’s class in Vancouver and put it on the book jacket.”

“This could be in a breakfast castle.”

“No, it would be on a stove or in a pan.”

“Go write it down,” I ordered. And write they did. Although there was still much talking and yelling out of fun ideas. And a little leaping up and shouting.

The sharing and energy kept all of the ideas coming. Here are some pieces of student writing:

“I think that Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are going to fight and build an army and have a battle to see who is better. I think this book is called Breakfast Fight. I think it all starts in a fridge. I would want to be Sir French Toast. Maybe they both have super powers. This book sounds so good that I want to be the first to read it.”

“I think they both want the butter for themselves. What if they were friends but now they are not friends? Maybe there will be a baby. Scrabbly Egg!”

“What if there is a Syrup Man and a Butter Man too. Grandma Eggs? Daddy Omelet? Mama Juice? Grandpa Poached Egg? Bob Bacon and Sammie Sausage? If I got to talk to Lady Pancake I would say” “You belong to my stomach.Yum!”

“Maybe they will build the Great Wall of China or the Eiffel Tower with pancakes and toast!”

“Maybe there will be a baby muffin who tells them to stop chasing each other.”

“Maybe they are in a restaurant and Sir French Toast is popular so Lady Pancake is jealous. I think the title is Fight the Food.”

“I think this book is about an eating contest. Maybe they eat each other and in the end they turn into a floating head.”

“What if they are starving to death and they tried eating each other. Or maybe it’s a contest to see who is tastier. Can I be the first to read your book?”

“What if Lady Pancake is a Queen and Sir French Toast is a burglar and he takes her crispy bacon money?”

I love the moment when everyone started talking about their names.

“It says Sir and Lady.”

“Oh – they are royal.”

“They sound elderly.”

“Seniors!”

Predictions were long and shared all over the room.

At one point I asked students to vote. Who is on Team Lady Pancake? They were eager to vote but not stop writing!

Then we watched the book trailer that premiered on Mr. Shu’s blog.

Students returned to their seats to write a little more.

Some comments were long and detailed. (and clearly a team has been chosen!)

“Now I know . . . that they were best friends but they secretly hated each other. The town announces that there is only one drop left of the syrup bottle and only one of them can get it. But wait, wait, wait . . .why only Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast? Why not anyone else in Breakfast Land? Okay back to the story – they both raced to the fridge and the story began. But wait, wait, wait . . How does the story end? I know (obviously) that the book trailer won’t tell you how it ends. But how, how does it end? Does Lady Pancake win? Probably Does Sir French Toast? Probably not! I don’t think that the author would make one of them win because authors don’t do that. So maybe they share the last drop. Maybe the bottle of syrup gets mad because they’re fighting too much. I don’t know. This is a prediction. And now it’s over. Always, Team Lady Pancake!”

Some were short and persuasive.

“Hey you really can’t make this book come out in September. If you do I will scream. YOU HAVE TO HURRY UP!”

These two kept writing and talking prediction possibilities through much of Reading Workshop. Keen little fans already guaranteed!

What a pleasure to celebrate the book love in my room. I love all of the excitement these two little buttons generated in a room full of devoted readers. 🙂

Make sure you put reading Josh Funk‘s picture book Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast on your September calendar! My students have made me PROMISE that we will read it together our first day back!

Thank you to Ruth Ayres and the #celebratelu community! Being part of a community that regularly shares gratitude and celebrations truly transforms my weeks.