May is Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which is a time to recognize the many contributions and achievements made by Canadians of Asian heritage. It is also a time to celebrate the diverse histories and cultures of Asia. Sharing books with your students that feature characters from different Asian cultures is a great way to join in the celebration! Here are some of my favorite new (and newish!) books written by Asian authors that celebrate the beauty and diversity of Asian and Pacific Islander descents, MANY of which focus on family and food. (Lots of recipes included in the bac ..read more

A teacher asked me recently if I had any good recommendations for books about apologies as she had several students in her class in need some tips! So, I decided it would be a great theme for a Top 10 post! Below are my favorite “I’m Sorry” books for those in your class (or your home) who might need a little reminder! Party Pooper – Jennifer Gray Olson Did you know that not everyone loves parties. In fact, sometimes the party pooper shows up, unexpectably! You may not have wanted one. You certainly did not invite one. So what should you do? This is a hilarious, tender, and sincere picture boo ..read more

Earth Day is coming up quickly! And while I believe EVERY day is Earth Day, April 22nd is an annual celebration around that world that honors Earth’s gifts and helps raise awareness of the need to protect Earths’ natural resources for future generations. To help launch your Earth Day discussions and activities in your class this week, here is a list of some of my favorite new and “go to” Earth Day books! You will notice a letter-writing “trend” in the first several books on this list – perfect to inspire letter writing to Mother Earth! The World is Ours to Cherish: A Letter to a Child ..read more

April is National Austism Month – a time to raise awareness about autism and promote inclusion and connectedness for people with autism. And what better way to help raise awareness and empathy in school communities than by sharing some great books with your students and launching those important classroom discussions? There are so MANY books to choose from it was hard to narrow it down! Here are 10 (okay, 13) of my favorite new (and some older) books that offer a window into the experience of autism: Remarkable Remy – Melanie Nathaniel This is a warm, optimistic story that introduces an autis ..read more

Poetry Month is HERE! So rather than squishing poetry into the last two weeks of June, NOW is the time to spread a little poetry joy in your classroom! In fact, there is no better time than to start sharing the joy poetry with your students than Poetry Month! Remember – it’s difficult for students to write poetry until they EXPERIENCE poetry – so use this month to fill them up with the rhyme, rhythm and repetition from some great children’s poets! Here are 10 of my new favorite poetry books to help celebrate poetry month with your students: Welcome to the Wonder House – Rebecca Kai Dotlich &a ..read more

Poetry Month is HERE! So instead of squishing poetry into the last two weeks of June (when report cards are done!) NOW is the time! In fact, there is no better time than to start sharing the joy poetry with your students than Poetry Month! Remember – it’s difficult for students to write poetry until they EXPERIENCE poetry. So use this time to fill them up with poetry every chance you get. If you are are looking for new ways to bring poetry into your classroom, my book Powerful Poetry, is filled with practical ideas, lessons, structures, and strategies to help you get started! Here are 10 of my ..read more

Attention all you space enthusiasts! In just over a week, the first full solar eclipse in seven years, will be visible across North America. Here in B.C., we will be able to view a partial eclipse (75%), but further east will be able to view close to a full eclipse (Click HERE to for a map that provides time viewing time frame). Whether you will be experiencing a full or partial eclipse on April 8th, learning about this outerspace phenomonon is both fascinating and educational – and a great way to link real-life science (and safety) into your classroom! Here are some recommendations of books ..read more

As many of you know, my new book Powerful Thinking : Engaging Readers, Building Knowledge, and Nudging Learning in Elementary Classrooms (currently available for Pre Order!) will be released in just a few weeks! This book is all about building knowledge and nudging thinking in all areas of your curriculum. (More information about my new book at the bottom of this post!) One of the ways I outline how to do this in my book, is by reading aloud “content rich” texts connected to your socials and science topics to engage your students and help build their knowledge and curiosity about the world ar ..read more

International Women’s Day takes place this Friday, March 8th. This day is about celebrating the achievements of women around the world in all sorts of different fields and accomplishments, as well as raise awareness against bias and advocate for women’s equality. If you are looking for some great picture books to share with your students this week, you have come to the right place! Here are some of my favorite books to share with your students to help kick-start a discussion about this important day. A Girl Like You – Frank Murphy Such an inspiring, diverse, inclusive, and lovely book that em ..read more

Pink Shirt Day falls on the last Wednesday of February every year – which means that it is coming up SOON! (Next Wednesday, Feb. 28th). This week is the perfect time to launch discussions in your class about the history of Pink Shirt Day and how we can all work together to create a more kind, inclusive world. And what better way to launch that discussion than by starting with a great Pink Shirt Day read-aloud? There are MANY books that focus on some of the important themes of this day – bullying, kindness, inclusion, empathy, and staying true to what you believe in. Here are ten (okay, eleven ..read more