#IMWAYR

What does it mean to be present? - By Rana Diorio 

Sometimes a book falls into your lap that is perfect for the very moment that you are in. This happens to be one of those books.  What does it mean to be present is a beautiful book for any age. It speaks beautifully to a problem so many of us face, busyness. Today as I was trying to write this, (while dealing with dinner, my children arguing, our oldest's grad meeting (Yes our oldest graduates this year!!) and my husband's business) I giggled thinking that this was the book I was going to be writing about. How do we remain present when life is moving at a break-neck pace?  I can't wait to read this book to my kids (and my students) and have all the conversations that I know will arise.  This book is a great one for Inference, Questioning and Transform.  It also might just become my go to gift book, to both kids and adults alike!!

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The Way I Act - By Steve Metzger

This book is the sequel to a great little book called the Way I Feel. The Way I Feel I can repeat verbatim as it was the book my now 17 year old daughter learned to read with. For whatever reason she decided that this was the book that she wanted to read and I must have listened to her read (recite) it more than a hundred times for anyone and everyone who would listen to her. I used The Way I Feel to get my toddlers to explain how they were feeling (by pointing to the pictures when they were too mad to speak) so it is near and dear to my heart.  This lovely sequel doesn't disappoint, it's another great book with great vocabulary.  I used The Way I Feel in teaching by having my students write their own descriptions for feelings and I plan to use this book the same way.  It's another great addition to any teaching collection!

The Best Part of Me - collection by Wendy Ewald

Some books seem to have lessons that leap off the pages and into my being and this is definitely one of those books. It is a beautiful book of photography of different children and their favourite parts, with a description of why that part is the "Best Part of Me".  What an exceptional way of illustrating diversity and highlighting and celebrating differences!  The students writing is honest and as unique as they are. I know my students will love listening to each written piece and I can't wait to see what they create themselves (we will definitely be doing this activity!).  This book would be fabulous for Harmony Week or Anti-Bullying lessons too!

If Everybody Did - By Jo Ann Stover

This is one of those books that grows on you. At first I was underwhelmed by the black and white illustrations and the simplicity. But the more I read it, the more I love it.  What "If Everybody Did" is a great concept and has many many great teaching points. What if everybody did pick all the flowers?  There will be lots of great discussions I'm sure as we add on to other ideas of "If Everybody Did". I think this book will be a great one for teaching Questioning, when I read it to my kids there was a MILLION questions and thoughts about every page!!