…changing the world, one reader at a time.
How can fourth graders help brand new kindergarteners learn to use the library? By channeling their empathy into writing and illustration skills! We used our Perspective Tool to think like kindergarteners this week. From there, we created a brand new book inspired by Mo Willems’ Pigeon series: Don’t Let the Pigeon Wreck the Library! Just wait […]
Read More
Let’s talk music. 🎶 Are you a fan of completely silent reading time, or do you play background noise in your space? As a reader and a teacher, complete silence stresses me out. If one shoe squeaks like a fart in the back of the room, all is lost. In my experience, playing some soft music […]
Read More
This week, a 7th grade reader leant me a book. “This is the best book I’ve ever read,” she said, all shining eyes and earnestness. “You can borrow it, but please don’t touch any of the pages I marked. I need them. Will you read it, so I can talk to you about it?” What […]
Read More
Can you believe that it’s already August? As usual, the summer is going by in a flash – I know that my teacher friends are already counting down the dwindling days until we’re back in our classrooms, refreshing and creating for the new year. But it’s not quite that time yet, we’ve still got some […]
Read More
This article was published on Nerdy Book Club on July 27, 2019. You can read in its original format here. If you’re a reading teacher, librarian, or parent, then you probably already know: graphic novels are all the rage. They’re fun to read, they’re deep and evocative, and they engage all kinds of readers at first glance. […]
Read More
Looking for your next great #stabsummerrreading title? Isabel is here for you! Isabel is a YA novel expert, an experienced Head Library Intern, and my go-to for the newest and best books on the shelves. Check out her recommendations for great summer reads below! The Testing series by Joelle Charbonneau It’s The Hunger Games, but twice as […]
Read More
Happy summer! Have you been following along with the #STABSummerReading fun on social media? If you haven’t heard, #STABSummerReading is a way for our reading community to stay connected and engaged during the summer months when we’re not together in the library. Research has found that students who do not read over their summer vacation […]
Read More
This article was published on Nerdy Book Club on June 24, 2019. You can read in its original format here. I stood in the middle of the room and listened to the sound of more than 20,000 pennies clinking and jingling around me. To my left, a fourth grade student helped her first grade buddy to […]
Read More
As adults and teachers, we spend a lot of time trying to convince our students why reading is meaningful, exciting, and worth their time. And if we’re not careful, we end up doing more talking than we do listening. In my first ever guest post, 14-year-old Jack discusses his identity as a reader, how books […]
Read More
It’s that time of year again! #stabsummerreading is right around the corner, so I asked 5th grade experts to look back at their reading this year and choose the books that stood out as the best. Which ones were the most exciting? Engaging? Which ones would you suggest to a 4th or 5th grader […]
Read More
fitzbetweentheshelves.com 