Introduction

Why is it that the first week of school seems to unreel in slow motion, but by November it feels like someone has pushed the fast-forward button? Now that school is in full swing, take a moment to read about some new books and listen to a few authors and illustrators discuss their work.

In these pages, you’ll encounter Steve Jenkins, Jack Gantos, and Candace Fleming, among others; read about an explosive topic; and be introduced to some five-star professional titles. Our articles and clips will provide you with some rich materials to share with your students.

Daryl Grabarek,
Editor, Curriculum Connections
dgrabarek@reedbusiness.com

Interview

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  In Living Color
  Steve Jenkins may have been born with an aptitude for science (his father was a physics professor and an astronomer), but his unique approach to its study and his cut-paper collage art make his books, and those he co-created with his wife, Robin Page, immediately recognizable. Here he talks about his latest book, Living Color, in which he explores why animals have a certain hue. more » » » 
  
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Nick's Picks

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  Selected Resources from TeachingBooks.net
  This month’s column highlights online multimedia materials to support the teaching of writing. Jack Gantos articulates his journaling process, and a punctuation exercise is presented in conjunction with a reading of Kate DiCamillo’s Because of Winn-Dixie. In Linda Sue Park’s audio clip, cultural authenticity is emphasized and lesson plans on Alice Walker’s The Color Purple will guide conversations about the use of dialect in literature. more » » » 
  

What's New

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  And the Moral Is?
  “One good turn deserves another.” “Slow and steady wins the race.” Aesopian aphorisms are (or should be) part of every child’s vocabulary. You'll find these and others in Candace Fleming's droll chapter book, The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School. Applying and adapting the lessons of Aesop to today's children, Fleming delivers morals, mirth, and a quirky cast of characters for students in grades two through five. more » » » 
  
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Make These Curriculum Connections

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  Volcanoes
  Youngsters are fascinated by volcanoes, their breathtaking beauty and elemental omnipotence, their ability to alter the environment and reshape our planet, and the power they hold over the people who dwell in their shadows. The following books incorporate clearly presented scientific concepts, dramatic photographs and illustrations, enthralling eyewitness accounts, and a dose of edge-of-your-seat adventure. more » » » 
  
  Related TeachingBooks.net resources » » » 
  

Professional Shelf

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  Children's Literature
  What teacher or librarian hasn’t encountered a dog-eared copy of The Pokey Little Puppy or The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963? There’s history behind these books…
  more » » »