#IMWAYR - Straight from the kids

Recently, I was telling my kids about the blog and about IMWAYR. My 2.5 year old was non-plussed (shocking) but my 5 year old had a fantastic idea... She is going to be a regular contributor to IMWAYR! She had suggestions right away, of course (being her mother's daughter, she has been known to have an opinion or two). This week, we also happen to be visiting my 7 year old nephew, so he'll be chiming in with his suggestions as well.

Back to school book recommendations, straight from the kids themselves! What more could you ask for?

So what do the pint-sized critics have to say? Without further ado, here are their recommendations:

2.5 year old: Giraffes Can't Dance (Giles Andreae, Guy Parker-Rees). This is a wonderful book that teaches kids the beauty of difference and the power of listening to yourself. Although it is my 2.5 year old's suggestion, I think it makes a great book for character education for K-3. The rhyming and illustrations are just wonderful to boot.

5 year old: Katy and the Big Snow (Virginia Lee Burton). An oldie but a goodie. Katy has been around for quite awhile but my daughter loves this book! A great one for teaching young kids about many of the different jobs required to keep a city up and running, Katy is also an endearing story about working hard because you want to help others. Of course, if the kids like this one, there are several others to check out too (I love easy follow up book recommendations, don't you?).

Rosie Revere Engineer & The Most Magnificent Thing. I already reviewed these two wonderful books here but my darling daughter just had to mention them again. I'm a sucker for a good female protagonist, even in picture books, so these fit the bill perfectly. Perhaps why she loves them too (a mom can dream, right?).

Fancy Nancy & the Posh Puppy (Jane O'Connor). The Fancy Nancy books might seem like an interesting follow up to Rosie Revere but, to be honest, I kind of like Fancy Nancy. While Nancy is a bit frou frou for my taste, the fact that she exposes kids to fascinating new words all the time (with kid-friendly definitions, no less) is wonderful! Plus, she engages in a wide variety of activities that you might not expect for the glittery girl, demonstrating that you can be fancy and in to bugs, art and, yes, dogs, no matter who you are. This particular book also highlights Nancy as she learns that perfect is different for everyone. Any girly-girl in your class is sure to love Fancy Nancy and, by consequence, reading. After all, that 's what this is all about, right?

7 year old: No, David! (David Shannon). The fact that my 7 year old nephew suggested this one speaks volumes about it's appeal at all ages. Absolutely everyone can relate in some way to the story of David, the young boy who is always being told no. From the kindies who are always being told no, to the 7 year olds who get a good giggle out of David's bare bum to the pre-teens who are also always being told no, this book has endless appeal. It's limited amount of text makes it great for beginning and struggling readers, as well as lending itself well to inferring & connecting. You just can't go wrong with the David books.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Jeff Kinney). A seemingly never-ending series thst appeals to quite a broad range of ages (I think my nephew is at the young end for this one but he is certainly not alone). With fun, comic book style illustrations and hilarious goings-on, this book is a great one for struggling readers or as a read-aloud. Although it is not necessarily an easy read, it allows older readers the chance to look like they're reading a novel while still having picture support. The series is a perennial favourite in our school library from Gr. 1 - 7.

Matilda (Roald Dahl). I must admit this one gave me a little thrill. That this topped my nephew's list of recommendations speaks to the staying power of some books and some authors. Roald Dahl is certainly one of those and this book is pure fun for those who read it. A great read-aloud in younger classrooms, there is also a lot of humor that only older kids will pick up on, so don't hesitate to pull it out along with some of your newer selections for lit circles and self-selected reading time.

While there may not be anything new or extraordinary on this list, I think it's important to hear what the kids want to read. It's our job to introduce them to great new books, but also to keep bringing back the classics. After all, well-read is well-loved and love for reading is what this is all about.

See you next week!