NC Book Girl reads Twas the Night Before Christmas

I have been on the hunt for good books for my niece as well as those to use with my students.  I find board books for my young niece fall into two categories.  Simple stories with rhythm, rhyme or lyricism.  Or they are overly complex stories that are just not great reading or the pictures are not appealing.  I like this version of a classic Christmas tale a lot.

Keep calm and read on!

NC Bookgirl

NC Bookgirl reads Five Black Cats

 A sweet rhythmic story perfect for any little girl or boy!

Keep reading!

NC Bookgirl

NC Bookgirl reads Who Says women cant be doctors by Tanya Lee Stone

Who Says Women Cant Be Doctors:  The story of Elizabeth Blackwell is another NC Children's Book Award nominee.  I love the enthusiasm and positive message of this story.  A true story of female empowerment.  At the end there is a great summary of her life and accomplishments.  The illustrations are colorfully appealing to students and add to the story.  I recommend this book for kindergarten and up.

Keep calm and read on!

NC Bookgirl

NC Bookgirl reads Last stop on Market Street

This story by Matt De La Pena is one the 2016 NC Children's Book Award nominees.  It is a cute realistic fiction story about a little boy and his grandmother and their after church habit of helping at a soup kitchen.  What is great about this story is how the little boy sees things he wants, and complains along the ride about it.  His grandmother points out the things he is lucky to have and experience which he finally realizes by the end of the story. 

UPDATE:  I knew this was a special story.  Now the world knows it too.  It won the Newbery Award for best writing.  Yes a PICTURE book won the Newbery! 

Keep Calm and Read on,

NC Bookgirl

A Wish for Wings that Work

I did not record this book.  It is one of my favorite and I think this wonderful version hits all the right notes.  It is An Opus Christmas Story:  A Wish for Wings that Work, by Berkeley Breathed.  I adored his Bloom County and later Outland comic strips as a kid.  I used to cut them out and keep them in a cigar box.  This story is about embracing the gifts you have instead of wishing for impossibilities.  I always read this to first graders talking about how penguins ant fly in the air but in the water.  Afterward I have them write a Christmas wish on a red or green construction paper strip to turn into a wish chain for our tree.  I love the words of this story-they are clever and yet simple in their message.  It always engages the interest.  I hope you enjoy it as much as me.

Keep Calm and Read On,

NC  Bookgirl

NC Bookgirl reads The Christmas Promise

The Christmas Promise by Susan Bartoletti is a great historical/realistic fiction story.  It is set during the Depression when jobs were scarce.  It centers on a little girl and her father told from the point of view of the girl.  After her father loses his job they become hobos riding the rails looking for work until they are caught by a railroad bully.  The story is great to use with older elementary and I read it to my third graders.  Students get caught up easily in the story,  I discuss the Great Depression before reading to activate prior knowledge and talk about hobos.  The end papers have hobo signs drawn on them.  There is a link to a website that talks a little more about Hobo Signs.  I hope you will enjoy this great read aloud as much as I do.  

Keep Calm and Read On,

NC Bookgirl

NC Bookgirl reads Olive the Other Reindeer

I love sharing this story by J. Otto Siebold and Vivian Walsh with my kindergartners!  Olive is so cute and the play on words with Rudolph the Red nose reindeer song is fun to read!  I always start with singing Rudolph, then I read the story, and then we sing again.  The illustrations are very funky retro!  There is another Olive story called Olive, My love!  a Valentines Day story that is almost as fun!  Sofia kitty makes a guest appearance during the story.  For some reason she gets very excited when I read or sing.

Keep Calm and Read on!

NC Bookgirl