Little Red Writing

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this title with your child. We are celebrating the arts!

Little Red Writing is appropriate for school age children.

Summary:
Little Red Writing from Joan Holub and Melissa Sweet tells the tale of a classroom of pencils on the day they are charged with writing a story. One specific pencil, Little Red, wants to write her story about bravery since red is the color of courage. Follow along as Little Red and her basket of nouns take on the journey of writing a story and the adventures that come along with the writing process.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Making Connections:
As you read Little Red Writing you will quickly find that it mimics the classic Little Red Riding Hood story. Talk with your child about the similarites and differences you find between the two stories. By making these comparisons, your child will be furthering their engagement in the story and deepening the learning experience.

Do this with your child:
Little Red Writing explores the art of writing a story. Each pencil in the class decides to write a story about something different. Using the directions from Ms. 2, help your child write a story of their own. Feel free to use the writing prompts below for inspiration.

If you're interested in sharing Little Red Writing with your child you can find it from Chronicle Books here. You can like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter & Instagram for more inspiration.

Click here to learn more about Raising A Reader and the work we do to promote early literacy and family engagement. 

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Colors of Sports

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun Olympic themed title with your child! 

Colors of Sports is appropriate for children of all ages.

Summary:
Colors of Sports by Laura Purdie Salas is the perfect title to share with your child as we enter Olympic season! This colorful book with real photographs touches on some of the sports that the world will be watching in the Olympics and even includes a GOLD medal.Each new page tells a little about a sport and the way a certain color connects to that sport.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Making Connections:
As you're reading Colors of Sports ask your child if they recognize any of the sports that they see on the pages. Have they ever played these sports? Have they seen someone else play? Do they have a favorite team? By asking questions that relate to your child's experiences, you will be deepening their engagement with the book and hopefully furthering their interest in the text.

Do this with your child:
Colors of Sports explores several major sports and has a different color on every page. Ask your child to chose which color or sport is their favorite and why. Then draw a picture of their favorite sport together!

If you're interested in sharing Colors of Sports with your child you can find it from Capstone Press here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. 

Hush Little Beachcomber

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun summer time title with your child! 

Hush, Little Beachcomber is appropriate for children of all ages.

Summary:
Hush, Little Beachcomber tells of all the fun to be had in the sun and at the beach. Following the rhythm of "Hush Little Baby" you'll be taken on a day of adventures on the sand, in the surf, and with the seagulls. The beautiful story written by Dianne Moritz is perfectly accompanied by the warm and summer illustrations of Holly McGee.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Making Predictions:
Before reading Hush, Little Beachcomber comb through the pages with your child. Ask them questions about what they are seeing in the pictures. Have them use the pictures to make predictions about the text. Where do they think the story takes place? What types of activities are they seeing? Then as you read see if their predictions were correct. By furthering their engagement with the book, you'll be deepening their connections to the story. 

Do this with your child:
Hush, Little Beachcomber is written to mirror the rhythm of "Hush Little Baby." As you read, try to follow that rhythm and if you would like to, sing the story to your child. You can watch and listen to the original "Hush Little Baby" by clicking here.

If you're interested in sharing Hush, Little Beachcomber with your child you can find it from EDC Publishing/Usborne Books here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. 

RAR's Summer Book Sharing List & Tips

Share these fun titles this summer!

Summer has arrived and Raising A Reader has created a list of recommended titles for summer straight from the RAR collection. You will find 40 titles (20 English and 20 Spanish/Bilingual) to delight and entertain during your summer vacation. Check these titles out at your local library or independent bookstore.

   

Click HERE to see the entire list.

Help your child avoid learning loss this summer. Check out the Raising A Reader: Tips for Summer Reading

The Library

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child! 

The Library is appropriate for all ages.

Summary:
Follow the story of Elizabeth Brown in The Library from author Sarah Stewart and illustrator David Small.Elizabeth Brown was different than the other children, she didn't want to to play with dolls, she didn't want potato chips, she wanted to read. As she grew older, her book collection grew and grew until there was not even room to get to her front door. The way she solves the problem will warm the hearts of book lovers, young and old.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Sequencing:
After you read The Library pull out some of the major details. You might want to choose Elizabeth Brown falls from the sky, she goes to school, buys a house, she vacuums or buys groceries, and finally she opens a library. Ask your child about the order in which these events occur in the story, Use words like "first," "then," and "next."  This will further their engagement in the story and therefore their comprehension of the text.

Do this with your child:
After reading The Library take a trip to your local library and pick out a handful of books to take home. Sign your child up for a library card if they don't already have one!

If you're interested in sharing The Library with your child you can find it from Square Fish, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram.

A Garden for a Groundhog

March is upon us...which means, Spring will be here to greet us soon! Gear up for some sunny days, warmer weather, and new growth with our Spring themed title recommendations this month. 

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child! 

A Garden for a Groundhog is appropriate for children age 3-8.

Summary:
A Garden for a Groundhog is a delightful story written and illustrated by Lorna Balian. Mr. and Mrs. O'Leary live on their small farm with their cat, goat, two chickens and a lamb. A groundhog lives there too. And, of course, the groundhog loves vegetables as much as the O'Learys. The O'Learys and their animals spend the winter as their supposed to; knitting, cooking, repairing garden tools, and coming up with a plan to make sure the groundhog doesn't eat all of their vegetables in the coming spring. The groundhog spends his winter hibernating after being nice and full from eating the O'Leary's vegetables. When spring arrives the O'Learys put their plan to keep the groundhog out of their garden in motion.

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Retelling:
As you read A Garden for a Groundhog ask your child questions about what is happening. This will help to engage their interest in the story, and further their connection with the book. Once you have read through the book, ask your child to take a turn retelling the story to you. They will flip through the pages and use the pictures to give clues to what they are able to recall from the story. It is okay if they stray from the original story line!

Do this with your child:
The O'Learys do their best to stay busy as they wait for the arrival of spring. Talk with you children about what happens in springtime, the snow is melting, flowers are blooming, bees and butterflies are frolicking in the sunshine. Then go outside with your child to see if they can see any signs of springtime. Record your observations and if your child is interested, draw a picture of springtime.

If you're interested in sharing A Garden for a Groundhog with your child you can find it from Star Bright Books here. Please like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter.

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves

FOR THE WEEKEND, share this fun title with your child! 

Fletcher and the Falling Leaves is appropriate for a pre-K audience and is a perfect book to curl up on the couch under a blanket with this fall.

Summary:
Fletcher the fox has a favorite tree; a beautiful, leafy friend. He becomes worried when the tree's leaves start turning dull and brown, frantic when the wind starts blowing the tree's leaves, and protective when he thinks his tree is sick. You and your child will enjoy the sweet story by Julia Rawlinson and darling illustrations of Tiphanie Beeke in Fletcher and the Falling Leaves. 

Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Using Context Clues:
As you and your child read Fletcher and the Falling Leaves use context clues to figure out what is really happening to Fletcher's tree. Does your child think the tree is sick? What are the other possibilities that could be happening based on the tree's symptoms?

Do this with your child:
With the weather changing, the wind blowing and the leaves falling, Fletcher and the Falling Leaves is a great way to open the door to a conversation with your child about changing seasons. There is so much excitement that comes with Fall: pumpkin patches, hot chocolate, and crunchy leaves. Go outside with your child to see the changes together; feel the brisk air, talk about the changing colors, and of course step on fallen leaves!

If you're interested in sharing Fletcher and the Falling Leaves with your child you can find it from Harper Collins Publishers here.

Like author Julia Rawlinson on Facebook and follow illustrator Tiphanie Beeke on Twitter.

10 Reading Tips for Families with Busy Schedules

1. Carry books (or other reading material with you) wherever you go!

2. For kids that don’t get motion sickness, read while traveling in the car.

3. Instead of listening to music, listen to an audio book.

4. Create a reading challenge or competition with friends (you’ll be more motivated to read!).

5. Read during bath time.

6. Make reading something you do before you get out of bed and before you go to sleep (even if it’s for 5 minutes!). 

7. Have you children read you a story while you prepare breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

8. Download books onto your iPad, tablet, or other portable device. Encourage your child to read instead of playing games!

9. Just as you schedule your other activities, schedule in “reading time” as a part of your daily routine. 

10. Going out to eat? Read a book while waiting for your food to come!