#IMWAYR - Reading is an Adventure

Click on the picture for more great posts like this one!

I just have to begin today's post by sharing with you this image:

Isn't that just lovely?

Kristi and I are always tweaking thing in The Lit Pit and we just set this up today! We are super excited to be able offer our students such easy access to such a wide variety of wonderful books; books they helped us choose (yes, that's why there's a cookbook displayed right up on top there) and books we hope will help grow their love of reading. 

Of course, that's why we're all here, isn't it? To share the gems that we as educators just can't keep quiet about, that make us as excited as we know they will make the kids. It is truly wonderful to be part of such a great community!

Our picks for this week are all about the magic of reading:

The Water Hole (Graeme Base) - What a fascinating book! From the beautiful illustrations, to the curious hole in the centre of the book, to the creative text, this book begs to be explored over and over again. And it truly is an exploration; part fiction, part non-fiction, The Water Hole takes readers on a journey through life at a watering hole, with hidden pictures, an ever shrinking hole in the pages and the mystery of whether or not the water will return propelling readers forward. With fairly obvious social studies and science tie-ins, as well as the sheer pleasure of just looking at the images, this book is a great addition both to your arsenal of personal favourites and to your classroom library.

---

Press Here (Herve Tullet) - In a world where most kids know how to make something change colour, shape and size instantly with just the swipe of their finger, this book comes along and changes things up. With a little bit of imagination and a press, a shake, a blow and a tilt, readers are transported in to world where a book behaves just like an iPad, only a bit different. Watch as the dots change size, shape and number, all because you followed a few simple instructions.  Just try to not smile while you're reading this fun little book! Keep an eye out for the sequel, Mix It Up, that just came out in September.

---

Tap the Magic Tree (Christie Matheson) - Similar to Press Here (Herve Tullet), this is a book that needs to be touched, shaken, wiggled and jiggled! As you follow the directions given in the book, you discover a tree changing through the seasons, starting with a bare brown tree. Lots of fun for little ones, who will want to "play" with the book over and over again. A great introduction to a unit on the seasons, with some very cool writing lessons thrown in for good measure (especially if you paired it with Press Here). I love books that beg to be played with!

---

Flotsam (David Weisner) - This captivating wordless book has it all - adventure, intrigue, mystery and delight. A young boy, searching for treasures at the beach, discovers a washed up underwater camera. Upon developing the film (a bit of explanation may be needed there!), what he discovers is nothing short of incredible. The illustrations are so detailed that you could look at them for hours, pouring over each detail and imagining new and ever-changing scenarios. Wonderful to just look at on it's own, this book would also be great for inference (as most wordless books are), prediction and as a set of story starters for some pretty imaginative stories!

---

Reading can be a great adventure, you just need to choose the right books!