Quest: How can we make our spaces more inclusive and welcoming for all?

April 11, 2019.Reading time 5 minutes.

What is an inclusive playground, and why does it matter? Our Quest has been working to understand and break down barriers that children in Charlottesville face that keep them from being able to read and play. Last month, we were lucky enough to meet Kara with Bennett’s Village, who taught us so much about Bennett, […]

A Family is a Family is a Family

April 8, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

Grandparents and Special Friends Day is this Friday! It’s tons of fun to welcome so many meaningful guests to our campus. We’re all feeling excited about spending time with our families… and maybe a little anxious about what makes them different. So I’m thankful for books like A Family is a Family is a Family, […]

Big Questions in the Library

April 4, 2019.Reading time less than 1 minute.

How big were the dinosaurs? Do all families look like mine? What does an American look like? Do you have BIG QUESTIONS? Me too! The library is the perfect place to wonder. Your biggest, toughest questions are always welcome here. This book display tackles some of the big questions I’ve heard from little minds recently. […]

Runaway Words

April 3, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

When a student says, “I brought a book from home that’s very special to me – can we share it with the class?” You drop everything and read! Runaway Words is the story of 6 year old Addi and her quest to understand her nonverbal older brother, Charlie. Charlie used to talk, but a few […]

The Tiny Activist: Sunday Shoutout

April 2, 2019.Reading time 10 minutes.

I’m so excited to be this week’s Sunday Spotlight for The Tiny Activist, a website and social media project run by two teachers that are dedicated to creating welcoming, engaging, and transformative educational experiences for every child. Each week, the team behind The Tiny Activist features another educator or activist working to help children become […]

For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story

March 21, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” 🌍 For the Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai’s Story has my readers feeling two of my favorite things: curious and grateful. Grateful for our beautiful school, the freedom to learn and read, and a safe place to live and play. And so curious […]

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark

March 15, 2019.Reading time 1 minute.

Happy birthday, Ruth Bader Ginsburg! It just so happens that we’ve been reading about Ruth’s incredible life and impact this week as part of our ongoing conversations about Women’s History Month. Can your first graders spot RBG’s dissent collar in a crowd? Thanks to I Dissent, mine can! This brilliant picture book walks us through […]

Celebrating Strong Women: Resources for Women’s History Month

March 14, 2019.Reading time 9 minutes.

For the first time this year, I put the work into bringing Black History Month to life in my library. It was such a wonderful month of questions, discussions, explorations, and growth! It changed the way that I look at displays and celebrations in my space, and the deep thinking they can inspire. As […]

I love my hair! / Amo mi cabello!

March 7, 2019.Reading time 3 minutes.

I love my hair! / ¡Amo mi cabello! Señora Roth (@senorarothspanish) and I teamed up last week for a special bilingual story time with Sandra Cisneros’ book, Hairs / Pelitos. We were inspired by second grade students sharing stories about their identity with kindergarten readers – books like I am Enough and I Love My Hair […]