FROM the Book Wrangler:  Whether you head back to school in August or September, these Epic reads can help you get the year started off on the right foot. Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is important to thread throughout your morning meetings and content all year long, but it can be especially beneficial to highlight in those first few weeks of school. A focus on SEL can help you establish relationships with students, help them feel seen and heard, and affirm the variety of feelings and personalities within the classroom. If you have an EPIC account, make sure you have logged in before you click on these book covers. Each one will open a book for you to read with your class. I’ve put themes/topics under each book cover to help you select which one feels right for the discussion you want to have with your class on a particular day. Remember to always vet your resources before introducing them to students. You want to make sure the content and length of the story is developmentally appropriate for the age group you work with at school. Make a copy of the editable Google Slide here, or download a clickable PDF here.