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Books for Boys: Top Picks for Primary and Upper-Grade Readers

Use these books for boys to break the screen addictions and get your boys excited about reading this year.
Remember when we talked about the incredible journey of encouraging boys to embrace the world of books in our previous blog post? Well, I’m back with the next exciting chapter – recommended books for boys. In a world buzzing with screens and non-stop distractions, helping boys develop a passion for reading is like giving them a superpower. I’ve heard you loud and clear – you’re hungry for book recommendations to light up those young imaginations and keep the pages turning! So, get ready to dive into the awesome universe of books curated just for boys in primary and upper grades. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or bookworm on a mission, I’ve got you covered. We’re about to unveil a treasure trove of stories that’ll grab their attention, fuel their curiosity, and kickstart a lifelong love for excellent storytelling. Books for Boys: Primary Grades These books are the coolest buddies
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Graphic Novels for Elementary Readers – Picture Perfect Picks

Graphic novels like these are a great way to get your kids super excited about reading. Check out these incredible graphic novels you can assign to your younger elementary students today.
Growing up, it seemed like the only reading materials that had pictures with captions were superhero comics. My brother loved reading them, so as the younger sister, I despised them. Sibling love, right? As I grew older and began helping other kiddos find their love of reading, I stumbled upon something in children’s literature: graphic novels! But here’s the deal my friend, not all graphic novels are created equal, especially for our younger readers. After combing through lots and lots of graphic novels I have some definite favorites! These are my “picture perfect picks” of graphic novels for elementary students. When choosing graphic novels for our libraries we want to make sure we’re picking the ones that entertain, educate, and inspire little minds. Look for graphic novels that introduce young readers to diverse characters, ignite their imagination, and spark a real love for reading while also supporting new readers!
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Caldecott Medal 2023 Predictions

The 2023 Caldecott Medal award winner will be announced January 30, 2023, which means it’s time for my predictions on which book will take home the top prize and who will be runner-up. The ALA awards will be given out sometime in mid-January. Members of the Caldecott committee work hard all year to choose the book they think is deserving of this distinguished award. Members of the committee read thousands of picture books throughout the year. Then they must narrow their choices down to 7 titles each. Once they have this much smaller list, they spend hours debating about which book should receive the top honor. Every year I always come up with my own list of titles that I believe will be contenders. This year I have come up with 15 books that I believe should be on the list (although I have not read nearly as many
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10 Picture Books for Teaching Visualizing

These 10 picture books make great mentor texts for teaching the reading skill of visualization.
If there is one thing that makes people fall in love with reading, I believe it is the ability to visualize. The ability to take the words on a page and turn them into a mental movie. It’s visualizing that allows you to immerse yourself into a book and escape the here and now. While this skill comes naturally for some, it is a skill that often needs to be taught and practiced for many. Today I am sharing my favorite picture books for teaching visualizing. How to Teach Visualizing Teaching students to visualize is such a fun activity that students really love. Why? I believe it is because it connects two of their favorite things – being read to and drawing. Over the years I have found that the best way to focus on this skill is by reading to the students and having them listen. This takes
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The Best Picture Books for Teaching Character Traits

Teaching students about character traits in reading is important but can be difficult to do. Character traits are such an ABSTRACT idea that some children have a hard time understanding what character traits are. Students typically have to use inferencing skills to “read between the lines” of what information the author is giving you about the characters in the story, such as what the character is saying and doing.  How to Teach About Character Traits Start by defining exactly WHAT character traits are. Then together, make an anchor chart about character traits. Have students help you name certain traits that they believe characters in stories might have. Make sure to get them thinking about character traits on the OUTSIDE and on the INSIDE! I like to do another lesson about positive character traits vs. negative character traits. (Some traits can even be neutral).  Finally, my biggest piece of advice
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8 Picture Books for Teaching Main Idea

Are you constantly looking for picture books to teach about the main idea of a story? Some people confuse the theme with the main idea. The theme or central idea of a book is the lesson, moral or message the reader takes away after reading. The main idea is what the book is about and can usually be stated as a short summary. It’s important for students to start understanding the main idea (and supporting details) of a story after reading it. This means that they should be able to retell the story to show their comprehension of it, stating the main idea and at least three details that can support the main idea of the story. Some Tips for Teaching the Main Idea A read aloud can be one of the most overlooked strategies that can be used to teach main idea and supporting details. When performing a
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Staying Cool in the Library is my blog, where I share my passion for fostering a love of reading with children. As a librarian, I believe reading should be fun and accessible to all students. That’s why I share engaging and interactive lesson plans, creative ways to build exciting library collections, and resources to inspire even the most reluctant readers in any classroom or library. Check out my blog posts and products in my store, and join my email list below.

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