Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Back-to-School - The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill

Told in a young girl's simple, honest voice, this is the touching story about Alaska, the old ways and the new, and about a special teacher who touches the lives of everyone she meets.

Here are some extension activities - http://edhelper.com/books/The_Year_of_Miss_Agnes.htm
 A more specific synopsis of the story - http://nancykeane.com/booktalks/hill_year.htm


Flash cards and a quiz - http://quizlet.com/2496980/the-year-of-miss-agnes-vocabulary-flash-cards/


Stay tuned for more Back-to-School titles . . .
 

Monday, July 16, 2012

The Cloud Spinner by Michael Catchpool

One small boy has a special gift—he can weave cloth from the clouds: gold in the early morning with the rising sun, white in the afternoon, and crimson in the evening. He spins just enough cloth for a warm scarf. But when the king sees the boy's magnificent cloth, he demands cloaks and gowns galore. "It would not be wise," the boy protests. "Your majesty does not need them!" But spin he must—and soon the world around him begins to change.

From author Michael Catchpool and illustrator Alison Jay comes a magical tale about the beauty and fragility of our natural world, and the wisdom and courage needed to protect it.

Here is another title by the same author - fun!

Where There's a Bear, There's Trouble 

When one brown bear decides to follow one yellow bee to his honey, he is followed by two greedy geese, who in turn are followed by three shy mice. When the bee reaches the hive he is joined by one hundred yellow bees, who chase the one brown bear, followed by the two greedy geese, and the three shy mice in this rhythmic story filled with humor and TROUBLE!

Monday, July 2, 2012

Happy 4th of July! Happy Birthday, America, Mary Pope Osborne, Peter Catalanotto

One of my favorite authors and one of my favorite illustrators.

Mary Pope Osborne celebrates July 4th, the most American of holidays, with a warm family story. Three generations enjoy parades, popcorn, "Yankee Doodle," and at the end of the day, lightning bugs and fireworks. "Then I blow out the stars, as if they were candles on a giant birthday cake"--a glorious image in Peter Catalanotto's glowing and buoyant watercolors.

Here is another with the same title and some activities to go along - http://www.marshachall.com/activity/happy.html


For an old-fashioned parade, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxGbzMtGYfw