Grade: Kindergarten
School: Rural/Title 1
Population: 52% Latinx 41% White 7% Other
73.1% Free/Reduced Lunch
Teacher: Veteran, but new to kindergarten. Eager to help students begin their journey as readers. Wants their kids to associate reading with joy!
Embedded Files
Curator's focus: After meeting a kindergartner in Febrauary who talked to me about being afraid of the dark, I decided to focus this month's curation on books that were about night time, darkness or saying goodnight. As I was curating, I couldn't help but think of this tip from Donalyn Miller's and Colby Sharp's The Common Sense Guide to Your Classroom Library. (See quote to the left).
The Lights That Dance in the Night by Yuval Zommer (Author)
The Dark Was Done by Lauren Stringer (Author) Lauren Stringer (Illustrator)
Welcome, Dark by Charis St Pierre (Author) Rachel Wada (Illustrator)
Light the Sky, Firefly by Sheri M Bestor (Author) Jonny Lambert (Illustrator)
Dark on Light by Dianne White (Author) Felicita Sala (Illustrator)
Moonlight by Stephen Savage (Author)
Hello, Moon by Evan Turk (Author) Evan Turk (Illustrator)
Nigel and the Moon by Antwan Eady (Author) Gracey Zhang (Illustrator)
Goodnight, Butterfly (A Very Impatient Caterpillar Book) by Ross Burach (Author) Ross Burach (Illustrator)
Sloth Sleeps Over by Blythe Russo (Author) Blythe Russo (Illustrator)
Buenas Noches, Vegetales: Goodnight, Veggies (Bilingual English/Spanish) by Diana Murray (Author) Zachariah Ohora (Illustrator)
The Best Bed for Me by Gaia Cornwall (Author) Gaia Cornwall (Illustrator)
Total Books: 12/101
Curator's focus: This month's focus was on books celebrating winter and all things snowy! I worked to select newly published books that kids could enjoy even if they are not yet able to decode the text!
The Snowman Waltz by Karen Konnerth (Author) Emily Neilson (Illustrator)
So Much Snow by Hyunmin Park (Author)
So Much Snow by Kristen Schroeder (Author) Sarah Jacoby (Illustrator)
Bright Winter Night by Alli Brydon (Author) Ashling Lindsay (Illustrator)
The Winter Bird by Kate Banks (Author) Suzie Mason (Illustrator)
A Polar Bear in the Snow by Mac Barnett (Author) Shawn Harris (Illustrator)
Blue Floats Away by Travis Jonker (Author) Grant Snider (Illustrator)
Total Books: 7/89
Curator's focus: This month's focus was inspired by Aliza Werner's Build Your Stack session at NCTE. After hearing Aliza share 50+ picture books created to help kids navigate their feelings, I knew I wanted to devote one month of this project to books with the same focus! Big thanks to Aliza for providing me (and others!) with so many great ideas.
I Feel!: A Book of Emotions (I Will!) by Juana Medina
Big Feelings by Alexandra Penfold and Suzanne Kaufman
Take Off Your Brave: The World Through the Eyes of a Preschool Poet by Nadim and Yasmeen Ismail
Don't Worry, Murray by David Ezra Stein
Don't Worry, Little Crab by Chris Haughton
Where Is Bina Bear? by Mike Curato
The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
One Thursday Afternoon by Barbara Dilorenzo
Lizzy and the Cloud by Terry Fan and Eric Fan
Sidney the Lonely Cloud by Tim Hopgood
Hot Dog by Doug Salati
Total Books: 11/82
Curator's focus: This month, I decided to focus on nonfiction. This was a particular challenge for me, because my knowledge of NF texts for readers this young is limited. I was delighted to find so many options that not only introduced little learners to interesting concepts, but that were also filled with captivating illustrations/photos for emerging readers to explore as they continue to learn to decode text.
Tree Hole Homes: Daytime Dens and Nighttime Nooks by Melissa Stewart and Amy Hevron
How Does a Caterpillar Change?: Life Cycles with the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
My Life as a Great White Shark (My Life Cycle) by John Sazaklis and Bonnie Pang
Bus Buddies: A Lift-The-Page Truck Book (Finn's Fun Trucks) by Finn Coyle and Srimalie Bassani
At Low Tide (West Coast Wild #3) by Deborah Hodge and Karen Reczuch
Snow (Animal Families) by Nosy Crow and Jane Ormes
Wait and See by Helen Frost and Rick Lieder
How to Say Hello to a Worm: A First Guide to Outside by Kari Percival
Hello, Puddle! by Anita Sanchez and Luisa Uribe
Garden Time (Hello, World!) by Jill McDonald
Summertime Sleepers: Animals That Estivate by Melissa Stewart and Sarah Brannen
Odd Beasts: Meet Nature's Weirdest Animals by Laura Gehl and Gareth Lucas
Go, Planes, Go! (In Motion) by Addie Boswell and Alexander Mostov
Anglerfish: The Seadevil of the Deep by Elaine M Alexander and Fiona Fogg
Walrus Song by Janet Lawler and Timothy Basil Ering
Who's Hiding in the Desert? by Nosy Crow and Katharine McEwen
Total Books: 17/71
Curator's focus: An important goal for me in curating books for future readers, (those who are still formulating their understanding of words, sounds and even books themselves) is that I select books that will help these little learners associate reading with joy. This month, I focused on titles that when read together, (with a teacher or adult), or explored alone (to practice turning pages and looking at illustrations) would elicit smiles and giggles. The more we can help kids associate the act of reading with joy and pleasure, the more likely they are to see the juice as worth the squeeze when the work of learning to read becomes more challenging. - JL
Special thanks to Franki Sibberson for helping me with this month's book selections!
Strollercoaster by Matt Ringler and Elaine Bay
Mr. Watson's Chickens by Jarrett Dapier and Andrea Tsurumi
El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! by Donna Barba Higuera and Juliana Perdomo
Amah Faraway by Margaret Chiu Greanias and Tracy Subisak
Listen by Gabi Snyder and Stephanie Graegin
Mi Casa Is My Home by Laurenne Sala and Zara González
Everybody in the Red Brick Building by Anne Wynter and Oge Mora
Grab Your Pillow, Armadillo by Kevin and Haily Meyers
Best Day Ever! by Marilyn Singer and Leah Nixon
Daddy Speaks Love by Leah Henderson and E. B. Lewis
Total Books: 10/54
Curator's focus: Because the readers are the most important part of any library AND because all readers deserve to see themselves represented in the pages, and on the covers, of the books in their libraries, this month, I chose to focus on titles that seemed likely to capture those experiences. Whether engaging with the text during a read aloud, or simply perusing the illustrations, I hope the readers in this classroom will see themselves reflected in this month's book selections. I also included a copy of Donalyn and Colby's book as a professional resource for this teacher. - JL
Gibberish by Young Vo
¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat by Raúl the Third III
¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market by Raúl the Third III
¡Vamos! Let's Cross the Bridge by Raúl the Third III
The Notebook Keeper: A Story of Kindness from the Border by Stephen Briseño and Magdalena Mora
With Lots of Love by Jenny Torres Sanchez and André Ceolin
My Town / Mi Pueblo by Nicholas Solis and Luisa Uribe
Fatima's Great Outdoors by Ambreen Tariq and Stevie Lewis
I Want to Be...a Ballerina by Becky Davies and Richard Merritt
I Want to Be... a Doctor by Becky Davies and Richard Merritt
I Want to Be... an Astronaut by Becky Davies and Richard Merritt
I Want to Be... a Firefighter by Becky Davies and Richard Merritt
I Want to Be... a Teacher by Becky Davies and Richard Merritt
The Common Sense Guide to Your Classroom Library by Donalyn Miller and Colby Sharp.
Total Books: 14/44
The King of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes
The Queen of Kindergarten by Derrick Barnes
KINDergarten: Where Kindness Matters Every Day by Vera Ahiyya
This Is A School by John Schu and Veronica Miller Jamison
Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty and David Roberts
Ear Worm! by Jo Knowles and Galia Bernstein
The Tree In Me by Corinna Luyken
Bright Star by Yuyi Morales
Dragon Boy by Fabio Napoleoni
Lala's Words: A Story of Planting Kindness by Gracey Zhang
Sometimes, All I Need Is Me by Juliana Perdomo
Look, Grandma! Ni, Elisi! (Storytelling Math) by Art Coulson and and Madelyn Goodnight
I Forgive Alex: A Simple Story About Understanding by Kerascoët
Rafa Counts on Papá by Joe Cepeda
Stella, Star Explorer by Kelly Leigh Miller
I'm Hungry! / ¡Tengo hambre! by Angela Dominguez
Mel Fell by Corey R. Tabor
Punky Aloha by Shar Tuiasoa
John's Turn by Mac Barnett and Kate Berube
Room for Everyone by by Naaz Khan and Mercè López
10 Elephant & Piggie books by Mo Willems
Total Books: 30
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