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I found so many resources.  If you find others that are good please post to the padlet. 

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I found so many resources.  If you find others that are good please post to the padlet. 

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This has lots of pre-made worksheets and discussion questions.

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This has lots of pre-made worksheets and discussion questions.

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The Day You Begin Activities and Comprehension Questions

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The Day You Begin is a wonderful book to discuss belonging and relationship skills. Click for activities and comprehension questions.

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Lesson Plan and questions for the Read Aloud

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Lesson Plan and questions for the Read Aloud

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The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson Read Along and Activity!

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THE DAY YOU BEGIN by Jacqueline Woodson | Official Book Trailer

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This book is great for teaching cause and effect. The spider makes decisions and then there are clear effects of his decisions/choices.

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Today we're pleased to welcome Terry and Eric Fan to the WNDB blog to discuss It Fell from the Sky. Congratulations on your latest book, It Fell From the Sky. Could you please tell the readers a little of what the book's about?
It Fell From the Sky is about a strange object that falls into a garden one day. It's an ordinary toy marble, but to the insects of the garden, it's a wonderful mystery. Each of them speculates about its origins and what it is, but it's the spider who sees the potential to profit from it. He claims the marble as his own and begins to exhibit it and charge admission. In doing so, he eventually alienates his community and ultimately discovers that sharing is more rewarding than selfish materialism.
Where did the inspiration for this book come from? Where do you usually find the inspiration for your books?
The original idea for the story began as a standalone drawing from about ten years ago, before we had even published any picture books. It was a simple pen and ink drawing of some Victorian insects in top hats examining a toy marble. I think what appealed to us about the image was the humor of the insect "scientists" treating the marble with such wonder and curiosity. The Night Gardener and Ocean Meets Sky both started as standalone illustrations. As visual thinkers, we often look for an image to use as a springboard for a story.
How did each of you find yourselves getting into the art world? What drew you to picture books specifically?
Eric: Terry and I both went to art college in Toronto: The Ontario College of Art and Design. After attending OCAD, we both ended up working jobs that weren't art-related for many years, while continuing to do art in our free time. Our path into picture books was quite a circuitous one. I had written and illustrated a children's chapter book with my other brother Devin when we were younger. We sent it out to various publishers, without really knowing what we were doing. Most were returned unopened, but we got a few encouraging rejections, and even a phone call from a publisher, who said we should be "very encouraged." Instead, we were devastated and gave up. There's a lesson in there somewhere, which would take me too long to unpack here, but the short version is: failure is not the opposite of success, they are simply two sides of the same coin. I wish I had taken that encouragement and run with it instead of just giving up in frustration, but my ego at the time wouldn't allow it. It wasn't until many years later that we even started thinking about making a children's book again. Terry and I had had some success selling our artwork online, on sites like Society6 and Redbubble , and it was through that exposure that we found our agent Kirsten Hall. I think what draws me to picture books is how visual they are, and how succinct they are in terms of storytelling.

Terry: Eric and I followed a very similar trajectory, and he's covered most of it in his answer, but I'll go into more detail about what enabled me to make a living as an artist. Like Eric, I struggled after graduating. I had some talent but was directionless, disorganized, and lacked confidence. Creative endeavors were pushed to the sidelines, and I wasn't able to make a living off art until many years later, in my mid-forties. What made it possible was a confluence of several timely factors coming together and a heaping spoonful of good luck. A critical factor was the internet. Disruptive online platforms for artists began springing up-sites Eric mentioned, such as Threadless , Society6, and RedBubble . Society6 was such a lifesaver for me, and I credit them with enabling me to make a living as an independent artist. I received a royalty on every product sold, and critically, Society6 allowed artists to retain full rights to their work. My earnings crept up steadily, and it finally gave me the confidence to quit my day job. Eric followed suit about a year later. He had just purchased a condo and was understandably more cautious about taking that wild leap into self-employment.

Just as important as the earnings was the increased visibility due to the tens of thousands of people who collectively followed us on Society6 and other online art sites. Little did we know, literary agents and people from the publishing industry would often peruse Society6 searching for upcoming talent. We had always been interested in picture books but had no idea how to break into that world. As it happened, we didn't need to do a thing. During that time, Kirsten Hall, a literary agent based in NY, started up a boutique agency. She was looking for fresh talent to fill her roster and noticed our work on . So, out of the blue, she contacted Eric and me over email and asked us whether we had any interest in picture books, and if we did, would we be interested in joining her agency? The rest is history. When our first picture book, The Night Gardener , was published, I was fifty years old. Eight years later, we've published six books together, with two more in the pipeline. So that should give some hope to the late-bloomers out there.
As brothers, what has the collaboration process been like between you? What would you say are some of the benefits and challenges of working with family?
Eric: The benefits of working with family is that there's a built-in familiarity and a shared sensibility. It's so much easier to collaborate when you already have an established shorthand for communication. Our process involves a lot of back-and-forths, some compromise, and finding a way to synthesize our individual contributions. It can be challenging at times when we hit a roadblock or disagree about something, but there's always that shared outlook of wanting the book to be as good as we can make it.

Terry: There are some challenges, but primarily benefits. Eric and I share many of the same interests and have a similar aesthetic, so we're pretty much always on the same page when it comes to having a creative vision for a project. It's almost as if a collaborative third eye opens up when working on a project we're excited about doing. The execution of that vision is when it gets tricky, but I think that's a built-in challenge that doesn't have anything to do with us being siblings. When we get frustrated, it's often a shared frustration due to some problem that has arisen.

Another significant benefit is that we fill in each other's weak spots to a certain extent, and it's just nice to have someone share the intense demands of creating a picture book. There's such an overwhelming amount of work to do, and I don't think many people realize what a challenge it can be, even when things are going well. We also rely heavily on honest, direct, back-and-forth feedback from one another, which is invaluable. I think we both do a pretty good job of checking our egos at the door, and we're focused on trying to make the best picture book we're able to, as a team.
What books drew you in as children? What stories inspired you to tell your own stories?
Eric: The first book that had a profound impact on me as a child was Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. The moment when the walls of Max's bedroom dissolve, giving him access to the magical world of his imagination, was the moment I realized how transporting and powerful a book could be. As a storyteller, I'm drawn to stories that emerge from the unique perspective of a child rather than being too "top-down" with an adult's perspective. It's sometimes hard to resist imposing that perspective, but my favorite children's books, whether it's Sendak or William Steig, seem to exist within that special unfiltered space, and I aspire to create those kinds of stories. Our dad also introduced us to stories he loved as a kid, growing up in Taiwan, including the classic Journey to the West, which was published in the Ming Dynasty, and is attributed to Wu Cheng'en.

Terry: Yes, our dad also shared many Chinese folktales that his grandmother had told him as a kid. He recounted them from memory, so I don't know their exact regional origin, but he did tell us a version of The Ten Chinese Brothers , which had particular importance to him because he was one of ten brothers himself. Maurice Sendak definitely had a tremendous influence on both of us. Other inspirations include anything by Tomie dePaola, Richard Scarry, Eric Carle, Dr. Seuss, and Margaret Wise Brown. When I grew a little older, I loved The Phantom Tollbooth , by Norton Juster , The Wind in the Willows , by Kenneth Grahame. These books, and many others, acted as a springboard for my imagination and inspired me greatly as a child.
What advice would you give to young writers and artists?
Eric: It's easy to get discouraged by failure, but failure is what nudges you along the path to success, and you probably learn as much from failure as you do from success. It's always nice to have validation, but it's important to seek out criticism as well, and not be defensive about it. A supportive writing or artist community can be helpful, but an honest and critical community is probably more helpful. My first foray back into art was submitting t-shirt designs on a site called Threadless . It used crowdsourcing to determine which designs got printed, and the feedback from the community was sometimes brutal. It was a shock to my system, coming from the "supportive community" of friends and family who always praised my work, but praise is often what stagnates growth; it was that brutal and unfiltered honesty that really pushed me to do better. Being told your work is awful is not much fun, but it is a powerful motivator.

Terry: The best things that happened to me in life were completely unexpected and unplanned, so, leave yourself open to different possibilities, even ones you can't imagine. It's important to have goals, but it's best to leave them as open-ended as possible. With an open mind and heart, you're setting the stage for something exciting to happen. When an opportunity arises, you'll have the mental flexibility to take advantage of it. Passivity, self-doubt, rigid thinking, and fear of failure are the worst enemies of creativity. In this goal-orientated society we live in, fear of failure often acts as a paralyzing obstacle, and many people give up before even trying. Also, I believe in not waiting around for inspiration to happen. Achieving success in almost anything is the cumulative effect of good habits practiced over a long period.

And the funny thing is, inspiration often comes from the work. As you're toiling away at something, you're actively problem-solving, whether you even realize it. It's impossible to predict how something will evolve as you're working through it, so the important thing is to start the process and get the mental gears moving. Even when feeling completely uninspired, doing is always better than sitting around and fretting about it. In an active, engaged state, innumerable possibilities open up. You'll end up surprising yourself. Intuition also plays an important role; it's your subconscious mind figuring things out in a way your rigid, rational mind can't. Trust in your intuition to lead the way. It will always take you to an exciting place creatively. As your conscious mind grew up and learned all the rules, your intuition remained a child. I constantly strive to be in this intuitive state when I'm working on something. It's the doorway to imagination.
What's a question you haven't been asked yet, but wish you were asked?
Eric: I love movies, so would like to be asked about my favorite movies. Here are some favorites, in no particular order: by Akira Kurosawa, 2001: A Space Odyssey by Stanley Kubrick , My Neighbor Totoro by Hayao Miyazaki, Chungking Express by Kar-Wai Wong, Wings of Desire by Wim Wenders, by Alfred Hitchcock, The Wizard of Oz by Victor Fleming, Citizen Kane by Orson Wells , La Belle et la Bête by Jean Cocteau, and City Lights by Charlie Chaplin.

Terry: We do tend to get asked similar questions in interviews, so it isn't always easy coming up with new answers. I've never been asked the question you just asked, so I think you've just fulfilled that wish! That said, I'm having a hard time coming up with an answer.
Do you have any books to recommend for the readers of We Need Diverse Books?
Eric: I think we're entering a golden age for diverse picture books. That's the optimist in me speaking anyway, but I'm seeing some wonderful books being published that give me hope. When We Were Alone by David Robertson and illustrated by Julie Flett is devastatingly poignant and timely. I'm a big fan of Christian Robinson, so anything written or illustrated by him is amazing. There are a lot of good picture books about the refugee and immigrant experience; I particularly liked by Kyo Maclear, illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh. Being Eurasian, and growing up without seeing much representation, it's nice to see more Asian picture books being published. A Different Pond by Bao Phi and illustrated by Thi Bui is terrific, and more recently, Watercress by Andrea Wang and illustrated by Jason Chin is stunning.

Terry: I agree with Eric that diversity in picture books is becoming more common, and it's a very encouraging development. Eric already mentioned some great examples in the picture book category, and I'd like to add I Am Not a Number , written by Jenny Kay Dupuis and Kathy Kacer, illustrated by Gillian Newland, which is based on the life of Jenny's grandmother, who is co-author of the book. It recounts her Grandmother's horrifying experience in Canada's residential school system and should be required reading in elementary schools. A few books I'm currently reading by diverse authors, and highly recommend: Two Trees Make a Forest , by Jessica J. Lee, Five Little Indians , by Michelle Good, and The Good Immigrant, a collection of 26 essays on American culture and what it means to be an immigrant, edited by Nikes Shukla and Chimene Sulyman. I'd also recommend anything by Canadian author Kyo Maclear. Birds Art Life , by Kyo, is such a beautiful and evocative memoir.

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Terry Fan received his formal art training at Ontario College of Art and Design in Toronto, Canada. His work is a blend of traditional and contemporary techniques, using ink or graphite mixed with digital. He spends his days (and nights) creating magical paintings, portraits, and prints. Terry is the cocreator of The Night Gardener and It Fell from the Sky. Born in Illinois, he now lives in Toronto. Visit him online TheFanBrothers.com.

Eric Fan is an artist and writer who lives in Toronto, Canada. Born in Hawaii and raised in Toronto, he attended the Ontario College of Art and Design, where he studied illustration, sculpture, and film. He has a passion for vintage bikes, clockwork contraptions, and impossible dreams. Eric is the cocreator of The Night Gardener and It Fell from the Sky. Visit him online TheFanBrothers.com.

******

Michele Kirichanskaya (she/her) is a freelance journalist and writer from Brooklyn, New York. Currently studying at the New School, when she is not writing, she is reading, watching an absurd amount of cartoons to survive reality, and creating content for platforms like Hey Alma, Salon, The Mary Sue, GeeksOut, ComicsVerse, The Gay & Lesbian Review, and more. Her work can be found here and on Twitter @MicheleKiricha1.

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Q&A With Terry and Eric Fan, It Fell from the Sky

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Today we're pleased to welcome Terry and Eric Fan to the WNDB blog to discuss It Fell from the Sky . Congratulations on your latest book, It Fell From the Sky. Could you please tell the readers a little of what the book's about?

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Book Review but with lots of ideas of how to use the book in the classroom.

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Book Review but with lots of ideas of how to use the book in the classroom.

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It Fell from the Sky
Written and Illustrated by Terry and Eric Fan

Published in 2021 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

ISBN 978-1-5344-5762-1
Book Review
The Fan Brothers, acclaimed creators of visually stunning picturebooks including Ocean Meets Sky, The Night Gardener, The Antlered Ship(authored by Dashka Slater) have another sublime picturebook as charming and whimsical as their earlier work. It Fell From the Sky begins with a double-page spread of a garden scene from an insect's point of view entirely in gray-scale except for the shiny yellow, blue and green marble that "fell from the sky". Various insects and garden creatures have ideas about where it came from and how it got there, including a Ladybug, Inchworm, Stinkbug, and Frog. Everyone agrees it was the most amazing thing they had ever seen. The wily Spider seeks to take advantage of the situation and claims that since the mysterious object fell right into its web, then "it most certainly belongs to me." The story progresses with Spider charging the other garden creatures to see the Wonder from the Sky in his very own WonderVille. The Spider's actions are reminiscent of Seuss's The Sneetches and The Lorax where greedy characters meet their own demise. The illustrations, graphite and digitally colored, invite close reading and a myriad of questions for young readers about property, secrets to happiness, and what makes something truly wondrous. As in their previous picture book collaborations, It Fell From the Sky is sure to inspire storytellers and storymakers in every classroom.
The Rock from the Sky
Written and Illustrated by Jon Klassen

Published in 2021 by Candlewick Press

ISBN 978-1-5362-1562-5
Book Review
This fall brought not one, but two, books about objects falling from the sky. Readers of Jon Klassen's earlier work including his hat oeuvre will recognize his signature deadpan humor and knack for understated scenes in his latest, The Rock From The Sky. Narrated only through the characters' dialogue, the plot is straightforward but far from simple: a turtle likes standing in his favorite spot and doesn't want to leave. But readers know from the second page that a giant rock is falling from the sky, likely to land in that very spot. Turtle is met by his friends, Armadillo and Snake,who seem more content throughout the book with the situation at hand. Dialogue ensues across four chapters that include the rock falling, the turtle and armadillo taking a nap, and a menacing giant eye appearing in the distance. The narrative invites authentic possibilities for prediction making, inferences about characters' thoughts and feelings, repeated oral reading, and discussions on the nature of friendship. Following in the footsteps of Lobel's Frog and Toad and Ruzzier's Fox and Chick series, Klassen has crafted a longform picturebook with a cast of anthropomorphized animal characters filled with subtlety and suspense. The muted palette, expansive sky, and desolate landscape in each scene draws readers' attention to the nuances of the characters' actions and leaves readers to wonder and ponder about ourselves and the future. Wacky and whimsical, The Rock from the Sky will surely bring a smile to readers of all ages.
Teaching Ideas: Invitations for Your Classrooms Grades K-5
It Fell From the Sky Fiction Writing. Read aloud both It Fell from the Sky and The Rock from the Sky and invite students to craft their own narratives about objects falling from the sky. Are the objects man-made (like the marble) or forces of nature (like the giant rock)? How does the object hold significance for the characters and for the direction of the plot of the story? Have students notice and name the various techniques the Fan Brothers and Jon Klassen use to craft their stories including dialogue, questions, and different font features. Have students share their stories with one another in a fiction writing celebration.

Close Reading: Illustrations. Both It Fell from the Sky and The Rock from the Sky invite you to linger on each page where the more you look, the more you see. Invite your students to do a close reading of the illustrations, describing what they see, what it makes them think, and what it makes them wonder. What do your students notice about the relationship between the text and the illustrations? Many of the illustrations are double-page spreads in both books which invite readers to linger across a whole scene. Encourage students to adopt some of the Fan brothers and Klassen's illustration techniques by incorporating a mix of single-page and double-page spreads in their own bookmaking, to use color (or lack thereof) for effect, and to play with scale. Support students to notice the ways in which the palette choices of each creator helps shape the story. Utilize the concepts of illustration from Molly Bang's Picture This for further ideas on how to support students to closely read illustrations in any text.

Characters and Their Turning Points. There are some characters you root for in stories, and others that sometimes leave us wondering whether we'd want them to be our friend. The Spider in It Fell From the Sky is described as "crafty" in the text but could easily be described as greedy, malicious, or materialistic. While he is not a likeable character in the beginning of the story, he realizes the errors of his ways. Invite students to zoom in on the turning point for Spider and whether they have ever had a time in life where they wished they'd done something differently or realized they should change their ways. While the turtle in The Rock from the Sky is not devious, he is self-absorbed and perhaps over-confident. Invite students to describe each of the characters in The Rock from the Sky: Turtle, Armadillo, and Snake. How do they act? Who would they want to be friends with? Is there a turning point for Turtle? While it is more subtle in this book, Turtle does seem to bend towards Armadillo's more content ways. Invite students to engage in mapping the characters from each book as well as storymapping to retell what happened to the characters across the story noting the turning point, in particular. Invite them to inquire into characters that are less likable in books they read independently and to notice whether there are turning points that help them outgrow themselves or shift from greed or fear to love.

Inferring Characters' Feelings. Both books trust readers to make essential inferences to fully understand the characters, their dilemmas, and their triumphs. Invite students to describe what the characters might be thinking, feeling, or motivated by in each book. How do the words and illustrations help them develop those inferences? How does their own life inform their thinking or how they would feel or react in a given situation? Invite students to zoom in on the eyes in Klassen's work. As in his previous work, the eyes reveal his characters' emotions and thoughts. See our entry on Klassen's This Is Not My Hat for teaching ideas on "Eyes in Art".

Reader's Theater and Oral Reading Fluency. Both books are ripe for reader's theater activities given the sequential nature of the stories and that much of the book (in It Fell from the Sky) or the entire book(in The Rock from The Sky) is written in dialogue. Have students practice reading the dialogue from one or both of the books in small groups and then perform a reader's theater version of it in different voices and with different intonation to hear all the ways it can be read aloud fluently.

Imaginative Landscapes. Invite students to zoom in on the setting of each book. How does the setting play a significant role in the telling of each story because of the scale of objects in each scene across both books. Invite students to create their own imaginative landscapes inspired by these two books. Do they want their landscape to be desolate like in The Rock from the Sky where readers are left to imagine more of the surroundings? Do they want to create their own Wonderville like Spider in It Fell From the Sky? Do they want to add objects to their scenes to help define the scale of the characters? Invite students to then create fictional narratives that emerge from their imaginative landscapes.

It Fell From the Sky/Du Iz Tak Pairing. Part of the joy of It Fell From the Sky is the whimsical nature of imagining the world from an insect or arachnid or worm's point of view. Pair It Fell From the Sky with Du Iz Tak? by Carson Ellis. Invite students to notice similarities and differences across each book. While each book tells a story from the point of view of various garden creatures, Du Iz Tak? uses an invented language to communicate the story entirely in dialogue. Invite students to create their own invented language for creatures living in a garden. What would they say to each other? Could a big event like a marble landing in their home spark their dialogue? Have students share their imaginative stories with one another guessing at what certain words might mean.

Author/Illustrator Text Clubs. Gather students in picturebook text clubs to study the work of either the Fan Brothers or Jon Klassen. Gather other books the Fan Brothers have created including: The Night Gardener , The Antlered Ship, and Ocean Meets Sky. Gather other books Jon Klassen has created, co-authored, or illustrated including I Want My Hat Back, Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, and (of the shape trilogy). Invite students to discuss in text clubs the different stories, illustration techniques, and writer's craft techniques within and across the books. Invite students to do some research into each picturebook creator. Have each club present their thinking and what they found out about each creator to the rest of the class.
Critical Literacy.

Interrogating Greed and Power. The potential for power to manifest as greed in a capitalistic society is not a new subject in children's literature. The Spider in It Fell From the Sky is a character reminiscent of The Onceler in Seuss's The Lorax, Sylvester McMonkey McBean in Seuss's The Sneetches, and Ebenezer Scrooge in Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Invite students to make connections across these characters. What is the effect of greed and power on them over the course of the stories? What are the antidotes to greed as portrayed by these stories? In what ways are their lives enriched by redistributing power or letting go of material belongings in favor of belonging, friendship, or the environment?
Further Explorations Online Resources
Fan Brothers Read Aloud It Fell From the Sky

Jon Klassen Discusses The Rock from the Sky

Fan Brothers Site
http://www.thefanbrothers.com
Jon Klassen's Tumblr
https://jonklassen.tumblr.com/
Jon Klassen's Site
https://linktr.ee/jonklassen
Art of the Picturebook: Jon Klassen's Work
https://www.artofthepicturebook.com/new-page
New York Times Article on The Rock from the Sky
Books
Barnett, M. (2018). . Ill. by J. Klassen. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Barnett, M. (2017). Triangle. Ill. by J. Klassen. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Barnett, M. (2017). The wolf, the duck, and the mouse. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Barnett, M. (2014). Sam and Dave dig a hole. Ill. by J. Klassen. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Barnett, M. (2012). . Ill. by J. Klassen. New York: Balzer & Bray.

Ellis, C. (2016). Du iz tak? Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Fan, T. & E. (2016). The night gardener. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Fan, T. & E.(2018). Ocean meets sky. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Klassen, J. (2011). I want my hat back. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press.

Ruzzier, S. (2018). Fox and chick: The party and other stories. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books.

Suess, Dr.. (1961). The sneetches and other stories. New York, NY: Random House Books for Young Readers.

Suess, Dr. (1971). The lorax. New York, NY: Random House Books for Young Readers.

Slater, D. (2017). The antlered ship. San Diego, CA: Beach Lane Books.

Filed under: Book Reviews, Fiction, Fiction Picture Books

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Not One, But Two, Whimsical Picturebooks Where Things Mysteriously Fall From the Sky

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It Fell from the Sky Written and Illustrated by Terry and Eric Fan Published in 2021 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers ISBN 978-1-5344-5762-1 Book Review The Fan Brothers, acclaimed creators of visually stunning picturebooks including Ocean Meets Sky , The Night Gardener , The Antlered Ship (authored by Dashka Slater) have another sublime picturebook as charming and whimsical as their earlier work.

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If you click to the left for the play a word search you can choose up to 20 words from the story. It will create a word search that you can print for your class.

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TeachingBooks Book Reading | It Fell from the Sky

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Complete audiobook narrated by Co-Authors Eric Fan and Terry Fan.

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Several Activities to go with the book. Just copy. Great for a Sub.

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Several Activities to go with the book. Just copy. Great for a Sub.

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Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon - By Patty Lovell | Kids Books Read Aloud

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There are always some students in class that have such a natural sense of confidence. They are proud of who they are, take chances, and stand up for themselves and others. We also have the more timid students. These are the students that are more quiet, might not participate often, or seem very self conscious. As teachers, it can be hard to encourage all of our students to be confident and believe in themselves. This week we are spotlighting Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon because it is a great way to inspire students to be themselves. - Jodi and the Starts With a Story Team

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Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon Book Activities

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There are always some students in class that have such a natural sense of confidence. They are proud of who they are, take chances, and stand up for themselves and others. We also have the more timid students. These are the students that are more quiet, might not participate often, or seem very self conscious.

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Molly Lou Melon might be smaller than most kids; she might have big buckteeth and a squeaky voice-but she also has a special grandmother who tells her how extraordinary she is! Similarly, your students have you to help them realize how great each of them is.

After reading Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon as a class, kick off a conversation with your students about Molly Lou's character traits and how she handles her bully, Ronald. See the free downloadable guide below for questions to help spark your class discussions:

Then just like first grade teacher Jen Cardinal suggests in this week's Book Talks teacher review video, you can encourage your students to create their own self-portraits, accentuating the qualities that make them unique! Download the free printable activity here:

How did your students' self-portraits turn out? We'd love to see them! If you're able, please share with us and other Scholastic Book Clubs teachers on and using the hashtag #ScholasticBookClubs!

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After reading Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell and David Catrow with your class, host a class discussion on the importance of loving yourself the way you are anti-bullying by downloading a free discussion guide and printable self-portrait activity.

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22 Total Resources 1 Awards View Text Complexity Discover Like Books

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Where There's A. Williams, There's A Way

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This Way, Charlie by Caron Levis | READ ALOUD | CHILDREN'S BOOK

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Background of the book by the author Caron Levis

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Background of the book by the author Caron Levis

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StoryMakers with Caron Levis THIS WAY, CHARLIE

Making new friends can sometimes feel tricky whether you are a kid - or a slightly cranky goat! On StoryMakers, Rocco and author Caron Levis chat about the true story of an unusual animal friendship that inspired Caron's new picture book, THIS WAY, CHARLIE. Watch and join in for a lesson in building friendships!

ABOUT THE BOOK

From the award-winning team behind Ida, Always comes a story about a friendship that grows between a blind horse and a gruff goat. All the animals at the Open Bud Ranch can see that Jack likes keeping his space to himself. But when Charlie arrives, he doesn't see Jack at all. He's still getting used to seeing out of only one of his eyes.
The two get off to a bumpy start. At first, Jack is anxious and distrustful. But one day, he summons his courage and guides Charlie to his favorite sunlit field: this way, Charlie. And so begins a powerful friendship that will be tested by life's storms-but will ultimately change each life for the better.

ABOUT Caron Levis

As a kid, I had this "cozy corner" where I charged 25 cents for "invited guests" (aka my sister) to come hang out. I served lemonade that I'd stolen from the fridge and offered activities such as reading, writing, make-believing, and blowing bubbles since that's what I liked to do. Still do. I got hooked on books at age two when mom kept reading Good Night Moon and The Very Hungry Caterpillar in her terrific Brooklyn accent. I fell in love with theatre when dad took me to see the Fantasticks and one of the actors 'fell' right into my lap. I realized teachers were super cool by hanging out with my grandma, a life-long kindergarten teacher.

ABOUT Charles Santoso

Charles Santoso (Chao) loves drawing little things in his little journal and dreaming about funny, wondrous stories. He gathers inspiration from his childhood memories and curiosities he discovers in his everyday travels.

Sponsored by ABRAMS

CONNECT WITH Caron
Website | Twitter | Facebook

CONNECT with Charles
Website | Twitter | Instagram

CONNECT WITH KidLit TV
Facebook Group | Facebook Page | Instagram | Newsletter | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube Executive Producer: Julie Gribble

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StoryMakers with Caron Levis THIS WAY, CHARLIE - KidLit TV

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Making new friends can sometimes feel tricky whether you are a kid - or a slightly cranky goat! On StoryMakers, Rocco and author Caron Levis chat about the true story of an unusual animal friendship that inspired Caron's new picture book, THIS WAY, CHARLIE. Watch and join in for a lesson in building friendships!

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Read Out Loud | Caron Levis reads THIS WAY CHARLIE

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1. Anthony and Riley

Anthony was brought to "Keepers of the Wild" animal sanctuary as a sick cub after being auctioned off in Virginia, and Riley was rescued by Arizona game and fish. Both were just over one month old when they met. Coyotes and lions are social animals, and Riley and Anthony grew quite fond of one another almost immediately.

2. Kate and Pip

After photographer Isobel Springett, took in an abandoned fawn, it was almost immediately adopted by Springett's Great Dane, Kate. Pip clearly feels very strongly for her canine caretaker, and even though Pip joined a herd, she still finds time to spend with Kate.

3. Kasi and Mtani

Mtani the retriever and Kasi the cheetah met over one year ago at Busch Gardens theme park in Tampa, Florida. Both animals were only a few months old when they were introduced. The unlikely couple spent their earliest days together, discovering how to communicate and play with one another.

4. Tortoise and Goose

A 45-year-old female Aldabra tortoise seems to have formed an alliance with a male Brant goose, and the two are inseparable. The goose follows the tortoise everywhere, quacking at anyone who gets too close. Brant geese mate for life, and it seems that this friendship is in for the long haul.

5. Amy and Ransom

Amy, a sixteen year old Sitka deer, met Ransom the golden retriever puppy when he was just 6 weeks old. Amy, whom served as a surrogate mother to hundreds of young deer, immediately took to adopting Ransom as her own.

6. Charlie and Jack

Jack, a 16-year-old goat, formed an touching relationship with Charlie, a blind 40-year-old horse. Jack essentially became Charlie's eyes, and would lead him around the ranch property where they both lived.

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Animal Odd Couples ~ Meet the Odd Couples | Nature | PBS

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Anthony was brought to "Keepers of the Wild" animal sanctuary as a sick cub after being auctioned off in Virginia, and Riley was rescued by Arizona game and fish. Both were just over one month old when they met. Coyotes and lions are social animals, and Riley and Anthony grew quite fond of one another almost immediately.

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Website for animal rescue Wild Heart Ranch

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Website for animal rescue Wild Heart Ranch

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Wild Heart Ranch is located in Claremore, Oklahoma. We provide medical or infant support to any indigenous wild animal in need of assistance and release it into suitable wild habitat once care is completed.

Founders Sandy Brooks and Annette King with Ned Bruha AKA "The Skunk Whisperer"

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Wild Heart Ranch is located in Claremore, Oklahoma. We provide medical or infant support to any indigenous wild animal in need of assistance and release it into suitable wild habitat once care is completed. Founders Sandy Brooks and Annette King with Ned Bruha AKA "The Skunk Whisperer"

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This Way, Readers...

Below are two activities for your young readers reading This Way, Charlie.

1. Coloring sheet by illustrator Charles Santoso! Will you color in or out of the lines?

2. Moon Medals! Reflect and Celebrate the friends who support you!

Click and print below! (jpeg and pdf format's below.)

If you'd like to share your work, groan-ups can share and tag me on instagram, twitter, or facebook, or just show me at write2caron@gmail.com!

ThisWayCharlie_ColoringSheet 2

This Way, Readers...

Below are two activities for your young readers reading This Way, Charlie.

1. Coloring sheet by illustrator Charles Santoso! Will you color in or out of the lines?

2. Moon Medals! Reflect and Celebrate the friends who support you!

Click and print below! (jpeg and pdf format's below.)

If you'd like to share your work, groan-ups can share and tag me on instagram, twitter, or facebook, or just show me at write2caron@gmail.com!

ThisWayCharlie_ColoringSheet 2

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This Way, Readers... Below are two activities for your young readers reading This Way, Charlie. 1. Coloring sheet by illustrator Charles Santoso! Will you color in or out of the lines? 2. Moon Medals! Reflect and Celebrate the friends who support you! Click and print below! (jpeg and pdf format's below.)

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It's been way too long since our last Book Exploration, so let's jump back in with a new title today: This Way Charlie. Author and social worker Caron Levis has created a delightful story that offers so many options for discovery and connection. There's lovable animals, lessons about friendship and examples of mindfulness. Plus illustrator Charles Santoso's artwork is just gorgeous. I'm not always a fan of animal stories, but this one really surpassed my expectations.

If this sounds like a story that your family or class will enjoy, grab a copy, read it together and then extend your exploration with some of these ideas.

First, make sure you download the author's free activity guide. She provides activities that work for a variety of ages (best for ages 5-10 or 11). I've included my favorite activities from the guide in this list, but you may want to use others with the children with whom you are exploring this book. These other activities will be especially helpful to teachers or librarians doing this exploration with their students.

To calm everyone's body and minds before you start reading, try the Honeysuckle Breath for Bravery activity found in the activity guide. Honeysuckle is a scent that makes Jack feel calm in the story. Is there a scent that makes your body feel peaceful and confident? You can use your scent to make a sachet to smell when you need to feel calmer or braver.

2. Watch the author read her book. If you can't purchase the book or borrow it from the library, you can just use this read aloud video. If you do read the physical book, read it slowly, savor the beautiful illustrations and let the story sink in. Then watch this video with your kids. She reads the story quickly, but her questions and invitations to readers add value.

3. While you read or watch, use the coloring page in the activity guide to keep your hands busy. For many people (kids and adults) having something (quiet) to do while they enjoy a story actually improves concentration!

4. Talk about the book. If you need ideas to starting the conversation, think about these questions: how are Charlie and Jack the same? How are they different? What are some things Jack does that show he is a good friend to Charlie? What are some things Charlie does that make him a good friend to Jack? Are you more like Charlie or Jack?

5. The author of This Way Charlie was inspired by a true story. Watch the news story of the real life horse and goat friends. Discuss what details the author changed when she transformed the story into a fictional book.

6. This book has been nominated for children's choice awards in Maine, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia and Washington. If you live in one of these states, read some of the other nominated books and then vote for your favorite. Talk as a family or class about why you picked the book you voted for. If you want to go all out, create a ballot box and vote by secret ballot. What is your family or class choice? Is it the same book that won the statewide vote?

7. In the video, Caron Levis encourages you to make moon medals for people There's a simple template in the activity guide you can use, but feel free to get more creative. Pull out some cardboard, paper, paint, markers, glue, tissue paper and other craft supplies and have a blast. Hang your moon medals on your fridge or bulletin board for awhile to remind you of your special moon people. Then give them the medal so they know how important they are to you.

8. In the story, the Open Bud Ranch provides a safe place for Charlie, Jack and the other farm animals. There are probably animal sanctuaries or shelters in your community that provide safe places for animals. Research these places, visit if you can and consider doing a service project to help the animals there. Check with the sanctuary or shelter to find out what would be helpful, but a few ideas: donate animal food, litter or toys, volunteer to walk animals or clean up pens, stalls or cages or run a fundraiser for the organization.

9. Create your own story about animal friendship. Page 9 of the activity guide has an activity to help you come up with your tale. You can come up with your own individual story or work together with your family or class group. For extra fun, use animal puppets you own or make your own puppets to act out your story. Here's some puppet making inspiration to get you started.

10. Finish up with the Favorite Field grounding activity from the activity guide. Do the visualization activity and draw your special place. Over the next few weeks, remind each other that when you feel frustrated, nervous or sad that you can imagine yourself in your special place and feel safe and peaceful.

If you enjoyed This Way Charlie, author Caron Levis has written several other books, including Stop that Yawn, Mama's Work Shoes and

Check out our first book exploration, A Gift for Amma by Meera Sriram and Mariona Cabassa.

This post contains affiliate links. I earn a commission for any items you buy by clinking on these links. Thank you for supporting my small indie business.

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Buy this book from Bookshop It's been way too long since our last Book Exploration, so let's jump back in with a new title today: This Way Charlie. Author and social worker Caron Levis has created a delightful story that offers so many options for discovery and connection.

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Horse rescued in Spokane Co. is going blind, goat helps him get around

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TheLearningStation - Kids Songs and Nursery Rhymes

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Seasons Song for Kids ♫ Autumn Leaves are Falling Down ♫ Fall Kids Song ♫ by The Learning Station

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Photo Source: Boy Mama Teacher Mama

How cute is this activity from Stephanie over at Boy Mama Teacher Mama!? We love incorporating songs, poems, rhymes, and fingerplays into your daily lessons, especially when they're interactive, and we think this craftivity would make a great addition to your fall plans!

white craft paper

red, orange, yellow, and brown craft paint

leaf templates

kids craft scissors

wiggle eyes

recycled toilet paper rolls

Photo Source: Boy Mama Teacher Mama

Begin by using fall colored paints to cover the white craft paper with paint; set aside to dry. Additionally, use the fall paints to cover each of the recycled toilet paper rolls and set these aside to dry also.

Photo Source: Boy Mama Teacher Mama

Find or create leaf templates.

Photo Source: Boy Mama Teacher Mama

Use the templates to create leaf cutouts from the dried painted paper.

Photo Source: Boy Mama Teacher Mama

Add wiggle eyes to the leaf cutouts.

Photo Source: Boy Mama Teacher Mama

Cut two short slits into one end of each dried toilet paper rolls (one on each side of the opening) and slide a paper leaf cutout down into the slots to create the leaf characters.

Stephanie shares three fun interactive rhymes to go with these cute characters! You can print off a copy of one of the rhymes below to get you started! For the other two rhymes, be sure to visit Boy Mama Teacher Mama.
A wonderful activity right!? Whether you make a class set or have your kiddos create their own, we know they'll have a great time learning the rhymes and acting them out with the fall leaf characters!

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Photo Source: Boy Mama Teacher Mama How cute is this activity from Stephanie over at Boy Mama Teacher Mama!? We love incorporating songs, poems, rhymes, and fingerplays into your daily lessons, especially when they're interactive, and we think this craftivity would make a great addition to your fall plans!

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Creepy Crayon! Read Aloud with Aaron Reynolds | Read & Learn with Simon Kids

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Creepy Crayon Craft is officially now a favorite to make in my room! Aaron Reynolds came to my school last year and shared his latest book, Creepy Crayon. He even signed my copy! I knew I had to finish the trilogy with another creepy craft! This one is a mix of pre-cut parts that kids choose from and a whole lot of fun! Each one turns out unique and of course, cute! You can find my newest pack HERE on TpT!

These books are fabulous as read alouds. The suspense keeps kids "on the edge of their seats" waiting to see what happens. I love to read them every year! My Creepy Crayon Craft is unique for each student because they choose their own mouth, eyebrows, and size of their crayon.

If you need the book to go along with the Creepy Crayon Craft, here's a link:

All this is included!

More Creepy Crafts

If you would like to see my last post about Creepy Pair of Underwear, click on First and Kinder Blue Skies. If you want to see all of my Creepy Packs, click . I hope you love my Creepy Crayon Craft as much as my students and I did!

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Creepy Crayon Craft is officially now a favorite to make in my room! Aaron Reynolds came to my school last year and shared his latest book, Creepy Crayon. He even signed my copy! I knew I had to finish the trilogy with another creepy craft!

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Have you tried the ChatterPix App?

It is a great way to integrate STEAM into your classroom by bringing pictures to life!

Integrate technology, art, and writing by having students draw a creepy crayon after reading Creepy Crayon! by Aaron Reynolds.

After reading, have students write a story about their crayon, then have students animate their crayon using the ChatterPix App!
Grab the FREE Activity Sheets Here!

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Creepy Crayon STEAM Freebie Writing Activity with ChatterPix - Carly and Adam

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Have you tried the ChatterPix App? It is a great way to integrate STEAM into your classroom by bringing pictures to life! Integrate technology, art, and writing by having students draw a creepy crayon after reading Creepy Crayon! by Aaron Reynolds . After reading, have students write a story a

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First, we met the Creepy Carrots. Then came Creepy Pair of Underwear. Now, Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown have teamed up to bring us Creepy Crayon! If you're planning to share this story with your students this year, be sure to check out this craft to help your students sequence the story.

About the Book

In Creepy Crayon!, Jasper Rabbit is having a hard time at school. The night before his test, he stays up late watching Tales From the Carrot Patch instead of studying. But when Jasper uses his new crayon, everything that was once hard now seems easy! It isn't long before the crayon starts appearing out of nowhere and leaving him messages that creep him out. Jasper decides it's time to get rid of the crayon once and for all....but is the crayon ready to let Jasper go?

You can find all of the books from the Creepy Tales! series here:

we are a participant in the amazon services llc associates program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Creepy Crayon Craft

This craft has been created to help students practice sequencing Creepy Crayon in a fun and engaging way. Each crayon has a story detail written on it. Students place the crayons in the crayon box in the order they happened in the story. Students can empty the crayon box, mix up the crayons, and complete the activity again.

For students who need additional support or those who need a challenge, I have included ideas to differentiate this craft activity. This includes:

students add their own story details to a set of blank crayons

students number the crayons in the order they happened in the story

students color the details in rainbow order

Ready to try this Creepy Crayon craft with your students? Enter your information below.

If you enjoy this Creepy Crayon craft, be sure to check out my Creepy Carrots craft to help your students summarize or retell the story.

You might also enjoy:

Happy Reading!

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First, we met the Creepy Carrots. Then came Creepy Pair of Underwear. Now, Aaron Reynolds and Peter Brown have teamed up to bring us Creepy Crayon! If you're planning to share this story with your students this year, be sure to check out this craft to help your students sequence the story.

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Introducing the latest addition to the Creepy Tales Series, and the newest Creepster to haunt our buddy Jasper Rabbit ~ featured in the MaiStoryBook Library Collection:

"Creepy Crayon!" by Aaron Reynolds & Peter Brown

*~Click here to purchase your own copy of "Creepy Crayon" to start on your own reading adventure! ~*

Book Synopsis/ Review
After being haunted by Creepy Carrots and Creepy Underwear, Jasper Rabbit is back and ready to start the new school year! Unfortunately, Jasper prefers playing games to studying so the school year isn't off to the best start. But, all his luck suddenly changes when Jasper discovers a mysterious Purple Crayon, that seems *Happy to see him.* With Purple Crayon, Jasper begins acing all of his tests, even without studying. He quickly becomes the Most-Improved student ~ but what's creepy, is that Purple Crayon insists on helping, even when Jasper doesn't want it's help... And no matter what Jasper tries, this Purple Crayon just isn't going away...

As with the other books in the Creepy Tales series, Creepy Crayon! is the perfect balance between humor and spook! Littles will be giggling at the bizarre scenarios with Purple Crayon, while slightly *Creeped Out* with Purple Crayon's refusal to be controlled. I also appreciate the underlying message of taking pride in your own work, and not taking credit for someone else's. Jasper Rabbit could have happily let Purple Crayon do all of his work for him and coast through school, but he was more excited about earning a C on a test that he studied for on his own, than acing all of his exams with the help of a Creepy Crayon! This can lead to a great discussion with littles about strategies that help them learn and do their own best work.

Vocabulary

struggling (p. 2) Having a hard time

peculiar (p. 11) very strange

shuddered (p. 16) when your body shakes a little, usually because you are scared

darting (p. 34) moving quickly

glorious (p. 35) super wonderful!

Themes/ Main Idea

Take pride in doing your own best work. Don't take credit for what others do.

People learn in different ways. Find what studying and learning strategies work best for you.

YouTube Video: Guided Shared-Reading Read Aloud Example
Example of a shared-reading, interactive Read Aloud of "Creepy Crayon!" - how to subtly introduce the vocabulary list words within the text, ask guided questions, and spark conversation!

COMNG SOON

Subscribe: MaiStoryBook Youtube Channel for more *interactive* read aloud videos!

*I Don't Need a Creepy Crayon: How I Learn Best* Backpack Craft

As the new school year begins, little learners can feel the pressure of doing well, getting good grades, and scoring well on tests. *Creepy Crayon!* is an entertaining and fun way to remind littles that we all learn in different ways, to avoid cheating, and to take pride in doing our own best work. One way to help boost littles' confidence in their own work, is to help them discover what studying and learning strategies work best for them. Brainstorm as a class different ways to study and learn, and then have learners choose which strategies resonate most with them. Then, use the Craft Template Below for students to record the strategies they chose. They can use the craft as a reminder to try out and use the different learning strategies throughout the school year~ and to remind them that they don't need a Creepy Crayon to do the work for them! They have the capability to succeed on their own!

Materials Directions

Choose Your Cover Template: Black & White or Color Templates

There are 2 different Heading Versions: : " _____ + Crayon 4ever" or "How ______ Learns Best"

Print and Color if you chose Black and White.

Write your name in the rectangle blank to personalize the craft.

*Cut out the Cover Template. *KEEP THE RECTANGLE TAB ON* (you will need it to connect the craft)

Next, Choose a Response Template. There are 9 Differentiated options and one blank. (10 versions altogether)

The Response Template requires students to share different ways they learn best. Brainstorm ideas as a class, and then students can choose from the list on the board.

Or Check out Version 9, where there are cut-and-paste example options students can choose from to glue onto their Response Template

Differentiated templates include different variations of written and/or picture responses to share how students learn best.

Cut out the backpack Response Template.

To attach the Cover Template to the Backpack Response Template, glue the Cover Flap over the Response section to create a complete Backpack.

Put glue in the Gray strip at the bottom of the Response Template where it says "glue"

Then Glue the bottom edge of Cover flap onto the template, lining up the edges to match.

OPTIONAL: Cut on the dotted line at the top of the response template (near the zipper line). Use the opening to Slide the Rectangle tab into the slit so that the Cover Flap stays up when the craft is displayed vertically (If you wish to skip this step, you can CUT OFF the rectangle tab on the Cover Template)

See the Video Preview on the original TPT listing to view how the craft comes together.

Flip down the Backpack cover flap to reveal the Creepy Crayon and your responses.

Enjoy Your *How I Learn Best: Creepy Crayon Backpack* Craft

Use the craft to remind yourself of how you learn best, and use one of the ideas to help you do your best work. You don't need to rely on a creepy crayon!

Share your craft with friends and family and ask them how they learn best.

Display the crafts for a festive display, and to remind students of all the ways and strategies they can use to do their best work.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*~ I hope you are enjoying plenty of reading adventures this year, Mai Friends! Tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary or FaceBook , find me onTikTok, or contact me via email to share your own *Creepy Crayon Backpack* Crafts and your own reading adventures! I'd love to hear about what you're reading and learning!~*
Enjoy More Fall Read Aloud Videos Here!
*~Until next time, Happy Reading~*

* This post contains affiliate links, meaning a small percentage of your purchases will go to MaiStoryBook to help create Reading Resources for your littles*

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Introducing the latest addition to the Creepy Tales Series, and the newest Creepster to haunt our buddy Jasper Rabbit ~ featured in the MaiStoryBook Library Collection: "Creepy Crayon!" by Aaron Reynolds & Peter Brown *~Click here to purchase your own copy of "Creepy Crayon" to start on your own reading adventure!

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'Tis the season to try one of these projects.

We might be well into October, but for many of us, it's just begun to feel like fall. Cue the pumpkin-spiced everything, cozy knits, and home-screenings of Hocus Pocus.

WeAreTeachers is celebrating cooler weather and the changing foliage with 12 awesome leaf crafts and activities. Read on for leaf-themed activities you and your students will absolutely fall for.
Just a heads up, WeAreTeachers may collect a share of sales from the links on this page. We only recommend items our team loves!
1. Make leaf rubbings.

Another math (and science) activity, measuring and sorting leaves according to their size is an awesome way to get your students thinking about numbers while enjoying the fall season. Adapt this project from Inspiration Laboratories for older students by asking them to order their leaves from smallest to largest and calculate the difference in size.

6. Make (and wear!) leaf crowns.

This book is one of our favorites for a reason. This lesson plan from Education Closet is a great way to follow the reading of Lois Ehlert's Leaf Man with a creative writing lesson. Encourage your students to write a few sentences, using their own examples of personification. And speaking of books ...

9. Make pressed-leaf bookmarks.

Teach your students about color pigments in different leaves by conducting this cool (and colorful) chromatography experiment from Teach Beside Me. As with any science experiment, ask your students to craft their hypothesis about what will happen at the end of the chromatography process and then record the results.
Have some leaf crafts or activities of your own you'd like to share? Let us know in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook. Plus, check out these Thanksgiving craft ideas.

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12 Leaf Projects to Teach Great Lessons in Your Classroom

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'Tis the season to try one of these projects. We might be well into October, but for many of us, it's just begun to feel like fall. Cue the pumpkin-spiced everything, cozy knits, and home-screenings of Hocus Pocus. WeAreTeachers is celebrating cooler weather and the changing foliage with 12 awesome leaf crafts and activities.