#IMWAYR - A little bit of this, a little bit of that

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In the Town All Year Round (Rotraut Susanne Berner) - This book was a gift from friends a few years ago and still hasn't grown old. Following the lives and antics of a fun cast of characters through 4 seasons in a small town, this book is like a grown-up Where's Waldo? Each season is prefaced with a brief explanation of what some of the characters are up to this season; the rest is left up to you and your imagination! We often choose just one or two characters to look for and then spend the rest of the time discovering new aspects of each picture. Great for observation skills, this book would be a great addition to your classroom silent/buddy reading library or as a teacher-led small group activity focusing on observation and oral language skills.

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Hands Off My Honey (Jane Chapman) - At first I thought this book was part of Karma Wilson's Bear series; the illustrations are very reminiscent of her books. This story, however, does not have the same rhythm as one of Wilson's; nonetheless, it is a very cute read with a surprising twist at the end. A great choice for teaching little ones about the joy of sharing, what it means to be a friend and appropriate play (Why does everyone think this is a fun game when Bear is being so scary?).

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My Blue is Happy (Jessica Young) - This wonderful little book has so much potential in the classroom; I can't wait to take it for a spin! It explores the emotions we attach to colours, highlighting the fact that different colours "feel" different to each of us. A great book for exploring differences, making connections and creating writing based on the book. The only disappointment is that the book has the rhythm of a rhyming book but it doesn't actually rhyme!

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Teach Like A PIRATE (David Burgess) - Despite it's very intriguing title, this book hasn't exactly wowed me. That being said, the underlying premise of increasing student engagement is of fundamental importance and one that I think gets harder and harder as our students' attention becomes more media focused. This book is worth the read if you are looking for ways to diversify or change up your presentation methods and would make a good school-wide book study if you have a few staff members who need some help moving beyond the old stand and deliver. Be forewarned, however, that while it is an easy read, the writing style is not as polished as some of the other options in the professional development category.

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Happy reading this week!