December

Winter Lights: A Season in Poems & Quilts
by Anna Grossnickle Hines

Many winter holidays are represented in these sixteen poems about the allure of light during the dark, winter months. Fifteen original quilt creations made by the author represent various forms of light–the northern lights, a Christmas tree, a lighted Menorah, moonlight on snow, and many more.

Reading Tip:
Ask the children what colors they imagine when they think of winter. Which of those colors do you see in Winter Lights? Anna Grossnickle Hines selected the fabric colors carefully, to reflect the subject of her poems. Which colors make you feel warm? Which colors make you feel cool? Which colors do you think you would see in a book of spring or summertime poems?

November

Bear Says Thanks
by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

What better way for Bear to say thanks than over a nice, big dinner? Bear decides to throw a feast! One by one, Bear’s friends show up with different platters of delicious food to share. There’s just one problem: Bear’s cupboards are bare! What is he to do?

READING TIPS:
Talk about what it means to be thankful. It might be a discussion of gratitude for good friends. Ask the children to name one thing for which they are thankful.

October

Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Ride the wind and drift east with Leaf Man in this autumnal classic by Caldecott Honor-winning author-illustrator Lois Ehlert.

Fall has come, the wind is gusting, and Leaf Man is on the move. Is he drifting east, over the marsh and ducks and geese? Or is he heading west, above the orchards, prairie meadows, and spotted cows? Ehlert crafts each illustration out of actual fall leaves on every spread to reveal gorgeous landscapes. This playful and whimsical book celebrates the natural world and the rich imaginative life of children.

Reading Tip: Use Movement!
Make your reading time interactive and hands-on! Gather two leaves from different trees, plants, and bushes in your yard, neighborhood, or nearby park. Place one of each pair in a bucket and display the matching set on the floor, a table, or tape them to a piece of cardboard. Ask student volunteers to come up one at a time, choose a leaf from the bucket, and try to make a match with the leaves on display. Discuss size, color, and texture.
Have students count how many pairs there are.

September

Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Bunny needs help picking apples for mama’s apple pie. Young readers will delight in using the included red ribbon to help Bunny reach new heights and pick those tasty apples. Children will have fun as they rock the book back and forth and turn it around and around for a unique roller-coaster adventure on Bunny’s way home.

Reading Tip: Use Movement!
Use movement to make your read aloud interactive and FUN! Encourage children to imitate a movement or gesture from any action in the book. Be mindful of what children can handle and move within their own personal space without touching others.

August

Rhyming Dust Bunnies by Jan Thomas

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
“Bug! Rug! Mug! Hug! These dust bunnies love to rhyme. Well, except for Bob. Much to the other bunnies’ frustration, Bob can never get the rhythm right. Then he saves everyone from a big, scary monster wielding—gasp!—a broom, and they all breathe a sigh of relief. But can Bob save them from the big, scary monster’s next attack? Vrrrooommm . . .”

Reading Tip: Rhyme Time!
Watch this 5-minute video for a fun way to teach rhyming words to children. You can use words from the books you read or make up your own. Playing rhyming and listening games is a great way to help children develop oral language skills: https://youtu.be/iS5uIlChht0?si=zOaZ7X4o79GipXE7

July

Hot Dog by Doug Salati (a Caldecott Medal Winner!)

FROM THE PUBLISHER:
This hot dog has had enough of summer in the city! Enough of sizzling sidewalks, enough of wailing sirens, enough of people’s feet right in his face. When he plops down in the middle of a crosswalk, his owner endeavors to get him the breath of fresh air he needs. She hails a taxi, hops a train, and ferries out to the beach. Here, a pup can run!

Reading Tip: Read Ahead!
Rhythm and meter are part of the magic of storytelling, so a little pre-reading can make a big difference. Flip through the pages and practice before you read to the children, so you know what happens in the story and can identify key moments for social-emotional learning, asking questions, and making predictions.

Happy reading!