In this post, I invite you to introduce a multimedia dimension to your students’ series reading. Children love series fiction. They enjoy the familiarity of the storylines, become comfortable with the formulas, and delight in the characters’ idiosyncrasies. Educators appreciate that these titles are accessible to all children—from the voracious readers who never put a book down to the English Language Learners who build on the successful completion of one volume to move confidently on to the next.
One of the burdens carried by children's literature is the expectation that it is supposed to be didactic, that it is supposed to teach a lesson. "What lesson do you want children to take away from your book?" is a question I get all the time about my children's books. Yet, I have never been asked that question about any of my books for adults.
I happen to share my day of birth with a very tragic shipwreck. During the early hours on April 15th, 1912 the RMS Titanic sank into icy waters.
I recently spoke with Don Brown, author of the nonfiction book All …
In this post I’ve highlighted four specific literature-based activities that a substitute teacher can use to engage students—merging books, technology, and fun.
The first book by Ashley Bryan that I can remember picking up is Sing to the Sun: Poems and Pictures (HarperCollins, 1992). I was immediately attracted to the bold, colorful artwork. The positive images with their playfulness — and lots…
In this post, I highlight a few favorite Canadian authors and related online resources. I hope these multimedia materials connect you to these titles in fun, meaningful ways and prompt you to consider integrating them throughout your curriculum.