Finley - My Favorite Moose!

                              

Written by: Candace Spizzirri

Published by: Gnome Road Publishing

Finley is back for another dream come true! I love how positive and persistent he is on his second adventure - Paris - for fashion week! With humor, heart, colorful costumes and French words sprinkled throughout, Finley makes a fabulous read-a-loud! I love how he sneaks on board the plane as a nod to the first Finley story. But, that's just the beginning of this one!

In case you forgot about the first Finley... He dreams of riding a caboose!

   

World Poetry Day

 

Written by: Susan Johnston Taylor

Published by: Gnome Road Publishing

What is this?! It looks so fun I have to check it out! It is a collection of poems from the point of view of famous poets pets! What?

This is what Goodreads says about it.

Read about Benjamin Franklin in an ode written by Mungo, his pet squirrel, or a new version of Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven, as imagined by his cat, Catterina. Packed with facts about historical and literary figures and their pets, this collection of poems will have young readers returning for more ... and writing a poem or two of their own. Each spread contains at least one poem from a different poet, written in the unique style of each poet (or, in this case, their pet!), that is sure to have children and caregivers alike enjoying a laugh and looking with new eyes upon their own favorite pets.

Filled with bright, engaging illustrations and a fun assortment of animal characters, this book is the perfect combination of history and poetry that will inspire curiosity and encourage an early love for poetry. It's the perfect addition to elementary school classrooms and libraries, as well as a fun read-aloud for storytime and bedtime.

This is definitely on my shopping list!

Author Copies!

 

Learning Life Skills with Mythical Creatures series was a joy to work on! Jump! Inc. and my editor were amazing. They brought this series to the next level! The illustrator did a fabulous job bringing these characters to life with such vibrant colors. What a surprise when I first saw them online. I saw the griffin cover and literally thought someone stole my idea! Hahaha It was this series, but I hadn't seen the illustrations yet! I jumped on Amazon and bought some paperbacks right away, and then got on the publishing website and purchased some hardcovers. There's no feeling like receiving you author copies. Thanks to Jump! Inc. and my editor and the illustrator and the whole team who brought these into the world!

Gather Grateful by Megan Litwin

 

Book cover from Goodreads

Lyrical prose and luminous illustrations welcome the arrival of fall in a season of community and thanksgiving.

Gather twigs and sticks to nest.
Gather safety, strength, and rest.
Gather up and fly away.
Gather close. Prepare to stay.  
                        *Taken from Goodreads

This is a beautiful fall book. I love that it never actually uses the word Thanksgiving. Starting with the animals gathering to get ready for winter, all the way to people gathering to share a meal (Thanksgiving looking feast). I also love that it includes "gathering apart". With the use of technology, children see a way to gather with family who may be far away.

National Fishing Day - June 18

Skye has such a sweet can-do spirit and her persistence pays off! As Skye tugs on her fishing line, you'll notice she also tugs at your heartstrings. This nostalgic story by Candace Spizzirri is sure to be a good catch for your home or library! 

Book cover from Amazon

Or travel deep into the world of whales with a diver and meet a whale family. This is next on my reading list. It looks amazing, and I've heard so many good things about this one by Michelle Cusolito.

Bookcover from Goodreads

National Plant a Flower Day - March 12

Flowering gardens are beautiful! They're also fun to grow! Why not pick up a shovel and a few flowers and plant a flowering plant today? Maybe pick one that will come back next year.

This early reader teachers about choosing the right flowers to grow. It is full of colorful photos and writting by Libby Wilson.

Book cover from Goodreads

This lyrical book shares the secrets of the underground parts of the garden. Journey through the year and see what happens above the ground and below the dirt. This is part of Over and Under series by Kate Messner.

Book cover from Goodreads

Eeeek!

 

I have a secret something. It's a writerly secret something. And I'm thrilled to work on this project!!

Word Nerd Day - January 9

I have to say, I LOVE fun words! When I read a book, I like to pick out a cool new favorite word. Notice I say "new" favorite word, because it changes regularly, weekly...daily...actually it's with each book I read. When I saw Tara Lazar's book, I bought it right away! It has inspired me to actually keep my own fun word list. It's like a treasure hunt while I'm reading.

Book cover from Goodreads

Here's what Goodreads had to say about it!

Why use boring old words when you can expand and build your vocabulary―and have fun doing it! A user-friendly, engaging book about the power of words―perfect for educators, parents, and future word nerds. Build confidence and become a stronger reader, writer, and communicator! This fun and hilarious vocabulary Kids with strong vocabularies are better readers, better writers, and even feel more confident tackling math and science. When a kid wants to learn a new word, we often send them to the dictionary or a thesaurus. But dictionaries only work if you know exactly the word you want. This dictionary-thesaurus hybrid is organized by theme and puts words in context with fun, engaging and hilarious sentences, pictures, and fun facts. You'll learn what words mean and then actually use them!

This bolded part is what I love most. It's a book full of my favorite things!