My Weird School by Dan Gutman

A tribute post to the My Weird School (My Weird School Daze, etc) books by Dan Gutman: My students cannot get enough of these books! Most are written around guided reading level L, with a few at M or N (mid-second through early-third grade) - which makes them just about perfect for many of my students in the beginning half of the year. The books are short and simple enough for many of my lower readers to decode, but with jokes and plays on words that keep them thinking. I love having a series with so many titles in it so that the students who need to quickly work through a fairly intense amount of reading have lots of material to practice with. I can take a student, point him/her in the direction of the My Weird School bin, and they're set for a long while!
I can't seem to keep enough copies on the shelf, and even have students from the classroom next door coming to borrow the titles that I have when their library runs low. Mr. Gutman, my students and I wanted you to know how popular your books are in our fourth grade classroom. Thank you and keep up the great work!

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

I know I blogged about this book before, but last spring I read it aloud to my 5th graders and I feel compelled to give the book another plug. It was absolutely the best read-aloud experience I've had with any students, ever. Captivated by Elijah's character, my students laughed along with his lighthearted silliness and passionately rooted for him during the serious sections. Curtis beautifully crafted the characters and the plot line, which is so moving and complex that we couldn't help but engage in rich discussions as we read. No history book, no activity, no experience could better teach children their first real look at slavery in the United States than Elijah of Buxton. I am so grateful to Christopher Paul Curtis for writing it, and I encourage reading and history teachers everywhere to check it out.

I'm Back!

One could easily say that I should perhaps give up on the idea that I can actually maintain this blog. Two attempts, in different years and on different websites, have petered out without much notice. But it's winter vacation (Yay! So fun!), almost the new year, and it's about time for me to recommit and believe, once again, that I have the time to do this.
So here's to resolutions! And, of course, reading! :)