#PB10for10 - August 2019

It's that time of year again - time for #PB10for10! It is so fun to see the list of 10 picture books others have curated around a topic or theme. After a two year hiatus, I decided to join in the fun again this year. Thanks so much to Cathy and Mandy for hosting this fun for the past 10 years!!!!

I have the great fortune this year and last to work and collaborate with language arts teachers in grades K-8. A conversation I've had in all my professional development either this summer or sometime in the past year centered around the power of picture books at all grade levels. Though I don't have the exact quote, I shared the thinking of Dorothy Barnhouse about the importance of using simpler texts when introducing more complex learning. The complex learning can be around a standard or a goal, OR it can be about being a better person or community member. Barnhouse's idea is so applicable for all students, both young and adult.

So, my #PB10for10 for 2019 is focused on picture books I've shared in my coaching and consulting work in different school districts during the last 12 months for a variety of reasons. 

Here are the pic-collages of the books I'd like to share this year:

Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall - What a wonderful book to begin work with a new community of learners, rather they are adults or students. This book is about being brave and tackling something out of your comfort zone, yet knowing that you have people to scaffold and support you as you work toward your goal, whatever it may be. I begin every session with new adult learners this way, thanking them for trusting me to be their scaffold and support as we learn together. It is also a wonderful community builder for the classroom - how students can support one another as they work to achieve things in the classroom.

The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires - I come back to this book time and time again when thinking about perseverance. Another great community builder in the classroom. With adults, when we approach new or revised learning, it is a great read about NOT throwing out everything we may have tried before, but rather finding the pieces of instructional practice that allow us to really help students grow and learn in their time with us.

The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld - Another terrific book for building classroom community in all grades. Sometimes when a person gets frustrated, they don't want another person to give them a million suggestions for how to "fix" the problem; they just need someone to listen to their frustrations. At all grade levels, learning to listen is a powerful skill. I use this with adult learners, especially coaches, when talking to them about how important it is for them to listen to their colleagues carefully, and then, together, figure out what next steps might be.

Imagine by Juan Felipe Herrera and illustrated by Lauren Castillo - The beauty of this book is in the one word title - if we begin to "imagine" what is possible, the outcomes can be amazing, no matter where we began in life. Another great text for the classroom and imagining the possibilities of where students will be as they grow throughout the year. This is also a great tool in my consulting/coaching. I have shared this book as a read aloud the past year when asking adult learners to think about the bigger picture of what we want for our students. Beautiful text and illustrations.

I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoet - Being kind is a lesson we as educators address every single year. Rather you are a kindergarten or an eighth grade teacher, this is an important book to share with your students. As with all the community builders mentioned so far, it also addresses the concept of theme and doing what's right, even when that feels difficult. 

Bear Came Along by Richard T. Morris and illustrated by LeUyen Pham - This is a book that was shared with me this summer by a literacy coach from Maine (thanks Susan Dee!). Though I haven't shared this book with adult learners yet, it is a great beginning of the year book for building community, and thinking about how each of us brings our own set of concerns to a school year. But we learn that if we work together, we can do it. My favorite line is:

"So many different animals

living their separate lives,

but they didn't know they

were in it together...

until..."

A great book to read aloud for adult and younger learners alike!

My Papi has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero, and illustrated by Zeke Pena - Many of the first five books had diverse characters. Each story wasn't about teaching diversity; the characters just happened to be diverse. This book is such a lovely view into the Hispanic community of Corona, California, the  childhood home of the author, the friends and family she encountered on a daily basis. This book could serve as a mentor text for any type of narrative, small moment, or memoir writing a student might do.

The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog (and Other How-to Poems) selected by Paul B. Janeczko and illustrated by Richard Jones - Another big thank you to Susan Dee for this book title, also! Poetry is a genre that should be read and written in all grade levels. It is such an accessible form of writing. The poems selected for this book are fun - mostly "how to" poems over a variety of topics. More importantly, just like all the poets who contributed are different, so are the styles of the poems they wrote. A great way to have students see a variety of poetry formats. This is another book I haven't had an opportunity to share yet, but it will be coming to my September book talks.

This is How We Do It: One Day in the Lives of Seven Kids from around the World by Matt Lamothe - I know there is a separate time tor sharing nonfiction titles, but this is such a "go to" informational title for me, both when modeling for students or working with adult learners, I had to add it to my list for this year. Following a typical school day for children in 7 different countries is a fascinating way to begin to share about the differences in our own school days - from types of families to what is worn to school to what is eaten for breakfast to how students travel to school, and so much more - this is a book that you will come back to time and time again to help kickstart meaningful conversations about the world and your own classroom communities.

Shaking Things Up: 14 Young Women Who Changed the World by Susan Hood, and illustrated by many... - When I have shared this book in the past year, I share it because I love everything about it. Not all the women who are mentioned here are common names. The setup of the pages is appealing - on each 2-page spread there is an illustration, a quote from the young woman, a poem about the person, and some informational fact about the young woman as well. This book is a celebration of young women who truly made a difference in our world - what a wonderful message to share with our students!

Well that's it for this year. Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope to be a bit more active with the blog (see more about that in the "About Me" tab at the top).

I am so looking forward to what made everyone else's lists!