Blog - So Blessed to Be a Teacher

Five Fun Fall Picture Books to Read Aloud

(Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links, and if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.)

Leaves are changing, temps are dropping, terrifying decorations are adorning my neighbors’ yards, and pumpkin spice everything has been in full force for two months – yup, we’re smack in the middle of fall! Autumn may not be my favorite season weatherwise, and I’m NOT into spooky stuff, but I do enjoy sharing some light fall read alouds with the students in my school library!

There are so many wonderful books set in autumn, but to keep this post short and sweet, I picked five favorites to highlight today.

Leif and the Fall

I love the book Leif and the Fall by Allison Sweet Grant and Adam Grant. It’s the story of Leif, a leaf who is afraid to fall to the ground. With the help of his friend Laurel, Leif designs numerous inventions to keep himself from falling or to brace his fall, but none of them works as he hopes they will, and he ends up discarding them all on the ground. When he can hold on no longer and the wind finally whisks him from the tree, he is surprised by what he discovers when he lands. This is a great story, and its wonderful lesson is especially appropriate if you incorporate STEAM into your library classes.

The Leaf Thief

The Leaf Thief: (The Perfect Fall Book for Children and Toddlers)

The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming tells the story of a squirrel who is certain that there is a THIEF on the loose who is STEALING his leaves. With wonderful illustrations and captivating dialogue between the squirrel and his wise bird friend, this story is perfect for students in kindergarten and first grade! (Want some FREE learning resources to go with this book? Download a freebie from my TpT store that includes math and literacy printables that your students can use after reading this story!)

Fall is Not Easy

Fall Is Not Easy

This short read aloud by Marty Kelley always delights my students! It is the story of a tree whose leaves always turn colors in wacky patterns! Instead of turning all red or orange like the other trees, this tree’s leaves change colors to resemble a soccer ball, hamburger, smiley face, and more. After reading this story, I give students a chance to draw their own trees that have changed colors in unusual and fun patterns. I have used this book with kids from Preschool through third grade over the years, and it is always seems to be a hit! (Sadly, it is out of print, so if you happen to find an inexpensive copy available on Amazon, snatch it up! Otherwise, check your local public library or a used book store!)

The Pumpkin Patch Parable

The Pumpkin Patch Parable: Special Edition (Parable Series)

I discovered The Pumpkin Patch Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs last year and knew it would be a great fit for my preschool class in the Catholic school where I teach! The preschoolers have a farm-themed week in their classroom in early October, and The Pumpkin Patch Parable is a perfect story to end the week and tie in with their theme. The book explains the steps a farmer takes to grow and harvest his crops, how to carve a pumpkin, and at the end, the author brings the story to another level by encouraging listeners to let God’s light shine through them just as a jack o’ lantern lights up the dark night. I enjoy reading it to the preschool students in my library, and it would also be a great gift for Christian children at this time of year in families who may be looking for a “not scary” story to celebrate the fall season.

Little Acorn

Little Acorn by Melanie Joyce is another story that I added to my read aloud repertoire for preschool library class last year. It chronicles the story of an acorn who falls to the ground, is hidden underground by a squirrel, and grows into an oak tree. The book explains the life cycle of an oak tree in rhyming verse, and those little acorn illustrations by Gina Maldonado Ruiz are just so cute!

I hope you decide to share some of my fall favorites with your students in your classroom or library!

If you are looking for resources to teach library skills this autumn, feel free to visit some of my other fall-themed blog posts such as this post where I have a FREE skeleton-themed book care worksheet for you to download, or this one with links to some of the first fall library TpT products I designed!

Or, check out this apple-themed library resource in my TpT Store:

I hope your students enjoy reading and learning their way through fall!

Back-to-School Read Alouds for the School Library

(Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links, and if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.)

Some of my first priorities when I begin the school year in my elementary library are helping to build my school’s culture of kindness and sharing my love of books with the students.

In keeping with these goals, the first few stories that I share with my elementary students are centered around social emotional learning, the wonder of libraries, and book care.

Here are a few of my favorite books that I have read aloud to students at the beginning of the school year!

Kindness is a Kite String

Kindness is a Kite String: The Uplifting Power of Empathy

Kindness is a Kite String is a sweet book by Michelle Schaub about how kindness can change the world, one small kind act at a time. I like to read this one to the second graders.

The Day You Begin

I love this book by Jacqueline Woodson! This is one of the few books during the year that I actually do not read aloud to the kids myself, but instead I love to share the Youtube video of the author reading it. There is something so soothing and kind about her voice that sets a tone of peace and acceptance, and I love to get the kids thinking about the power authors have to share stories.

The Invisible Boy

This book by Trudy Ludwig shares the story of Brian, a quiet boy who feels invisible among the students in his noisy classroom. The book promotes inclusion, kindness, and celebrating our differences. From a library lesson perspective, it is also a great book for talking about the important role of an illustrator, since the unique illustrations by Patrice Barton tell us a lot about how Brian is feeling throughout the story.

The Good Egg

Kids love these books in “The Food Group” by Jory John, and I like reading The Good Egg at the beginning of the year because it addresses social-emotional learning in an accessible, fun way. This story speaks to students who struggle with stress and perfectionism and sends positive messages about kindness, self-care, and acceptance.

The Library Bus

I see the beginning of the year as an opportunity to give my students some perspective on the importance of books and the role libraries play around the world. The Library Bus by Bahram Ramham is a wonderful book that I love to share with upper elementary students as a reminder of how blessed my students are to have access to education and so many shelves of books.

Waiting for the Biblioburro

Set in a different part of the world, but with similar themes to The Library Bus, Waiting for the Biblioburro is another great story that shows that access to books is not universal or uniform around the world. I hope that sharing this story with my upper elementary students at the start of the school year inspires them to really dive into our school library and all it has to offer.

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The Book That Jake Borrowed

Switching gears, this silly story by Susan Kralovansky is perfect for your beginning of school book care lessons! Check out another post I wrote specifically about The Book that Jake Borrowed for more information and a printable freebie to go with the book!

Mr. Wiggle’s Book

This book about a cute bookworm is an oldie-but-goodie by Paula M. Craig and Carol L. Thompson that my students look forward to each year! Reading it is a perfect way to start the year and remind students to develop good book care habits. It’s out of print, though, so if you happen to click the link and a used copy happens to be available, grab it, because they are hard to come by!

I also read its companion, Mr. Wiggle Loves to Read, to my students as well.

If you are looking for resources to go along with these back-to-school books, feel free to check out some that I use in my library at the beginning of the school year:

I hope this post has helped you find a couple of new titles to try in your school library! Feel free to keep the conversation going and share one of your favorite start-of-school read alouds in the comments!

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Save Time This Year with My HUGE Bundle of Bundles!

(Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links, and if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.)

If someone were to ask me to choose a favorite library skills TpT product that I have made over the years, I probably would go with a cop out answer like “they are like my children…I can’t pick a favorite!”

With that in mind, let me introduce you to my HUGE Bundle of Bundles for the Library / Media Center, which is just what it sounds like – a HUGE bundle of library goodness. It’s all of my library bundles, plus a few other great library products, all in one gigantic download. If I HAD to choose a favorite library skills TpT resource of mine, I’d go with this one. It contains a total of 27 products I have made over the years…so I like it approximately 27 times more than any one of my individual products. 😊

bookshelves with picture books and text overly that says, "Huge Bundle of Bundles for the Library / Media Center with over 250 printable pages"

A Variety Pack of Library Learning

I personally use something from this bundle in my own school library almost every week. From coloring pages to center activities to worksheets, there is something for everyone in this treasure chest, and having so many options all in one spot can really save you time as you plan your library lessons!

The printable worksheets cover topics including book care, fiction and nonfiction, alphabetical order, dictionaries, encyclopedias, author and illustrator, biographies, arranging fiction and nonfiction books, library behavior, and more. Librarians who have purchased this bundle have commented on the assortment of activities, including Kelley, who stated in her TpT feedback, “There are so many wonderful resources included in this bundle! It seems like no matter what I am covering, there is something in here I can use!” I was also thrilled when Cheryl, a TpT customer who purchased this product, recently left the following review: “These library skills sheets have become an indispensable part of my library classes for Kindergarten-2nd grade.” It has been so great to hear that my product is a go-to in these school libraries!

Games and Centers to Increase Engagement

Sometimes you need to mix things up with a new game or center activity for your class…and this bundle of resources delivers! One favorite from the bunch is my Nonfiction Pizza activity, which helps students learn about the nonfiction section of the library, all while building an adorable pizza. It’s a favorite among my fourth grade students each year!

Another activity your students will enjoy in this Bundle of Bundles is my set of call number puzzles, which give kids practice with arranging fiction and nonfiction books in the order they would be found on the library shelves. This center activity adds a little extra fun to the process, however, because as kids arrange the call numbers, they are building a puzzle that displays a fascinating fact about an animal.

assembled puzzle depicting a squirrel that reads, "Did you know? Squirrels have sweat glands on their feet" with call numbers on the bottom of each piece of the puzzle. — *Call Number Puzzles, available in the HUGE Bundle of Bundles for the Library / Media Center, are a fun and engaging library activity.*

Those are just two of the centers and activities available in this comprehensive resource!

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Grab the HUGE Bundle of Bundles Today!

It’s not too late to add this bundle to your collection and get 27 resources all in one place at an awesome discount. I believe this resource will be a game changer for you in your new school year!

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School Library Freebies on TpT!

(Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links, and if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.)

(There are also numerous links to free TpT products…which are free…so no one receives compensation for those…but if you click through on those YOU get a free resource! Hurray!).

It’s been awhile, librarian friends, but I’m finally back with another list of amazing FREE products for your school library / media center! If you’ve visited my blog before, you know that I love TpT (the amazing site formerly known as Teachers Pay Teachers…and still located at teacherspayteachers.com…but now officially just TpT…it’s a whole thing).

Anyway, I’m constantly buying and designing TpT resources – but really, my absolute FAVORITE thing to do on the site is to download FREE resources. It’s just like snacking on free samples at a wholesale club, but without the empty calories and sticky fingers!

Bon appetite!

Genres

Enhance your library lessons about book genres with these awesome freebies!

This colorful Book Genre List by Erica Daniels would look stylish on a bulletin board or make a great handout for your students!
Reinforce the concept of fiction vs. nonfiction with this freebie by SPO Resources! (Pssst! I also have a freebie available in one of my blog posts that you can add to your collection of resources for this topic! Might as well double up on the fiction/nonfiction freebie fun!)
Here are some task cards by Copeland’s Got Class that you can use with your genre lessons!
These posters by Karin Stephens explain basic information about popular genres of literature!
Or try this set of free genre posters by Sharp in Second!
And here we have a more complex genre categorizing activity by Teaching and Motivating Teens for middle school students!

Text Features / Parts of a Book

When it’s time to teach your library students about text features and parts of a book, these FREE resources can help!

I’m excited to try this one with my students this year! It’s called the Nonfiction Text Features Linktivity® by The Classroom Nook, and at the time I’m writing this blog post, it has been downloaded over 39,000 times, so I’m guessing it’s pretty engaging!
Here is a popular text feature poster by Positively Primary!
Assess your students’ knowledge about text features with these free printables by Katelyn Shepard – Lip Gloss Learning and Lattes!
Julia Erin has designed this beautiful set of posters and printables for teaching about parts of a book!
Or try another set of printables by For the Teacher – Emilee Ray to help you with your parts of a book lessons!

*This image is a derivative of a photo by*
*I. H Cho of Pixabay*

Dictionary Skills & ABC Order

Students need plenty of practice with dictionary skills and alphabetical order!

Here is a dictionary skills printable by The Dinostore for your collection!
Your little library learners can practice their alphabetical order skills with this freebie by Resources by Rachel!
This resource (by me!) includes several literacy and math printables to go with the picture book The Leaf Thief, including one that gives your students a chance to practice ABC order!
This freebie by ACParker allows students to work on ABC order, and it’s a great resource to file away and use in the spring!

Dewey Stuff

Teach your students about how the library is organized and encourage them to sample books from different areas of the nonfiction section!

These classic, understated Dewey Decimal Signs from Boundless Teaching and Learning would be just perfect to display in your nonfiction section!
This free printable by The Middle School Librarian gives students practice identifying in which section they can find certain nonfiction subjects in the library!
Michael Zetterberg’s Do the Dewey reading challenge is a creative way to encourage your students to explore the nonfiction section when they are selecting books to read!

Coding & STEAM

Add to your bag of tricks for Coding / STEAM / STEM lessons with these free products!

This fall, you can begin educating your students about coding with this autumn-themed unplugged coding activity by Tonya Coffey – Shen Valley Teacher!
If your students utilize both code.org and Scratch, this comparison chart by Miss Martin on the Go will help your students keep track of the functionality of the different types of blocks they will use with each!

With over 100,000 downloads, there is no question that this Mystery Build STEM challenge by Teachers Are Terrific is an excellent resource for librarians!

Library Signage and Decor

Transform your library with informational, inspirational, or otherwise sensational printables!

Created by Mrs Millis has a free, gorgeous bunting in her shop that reads “Read, Grow, Inspire”!
Set up some new book displays in no time at all with these Book Display Signs by beckiegirlbooks!
Just in time for the Barbie movie, That Library Girl has designed a fabulous freebie to help you set up a Barbie-themed book display in your biography section!
Here are some posters by The Kinder Lab and another set by Ms E Teacher of Tiny Humans that feature book characters!
This set of posters by O Some Great Stuff for English Teachers displays the covers of many popular and classic books. What an excellent way to decorate your middle school or high school media center for FREE!
Stash this one away for February! How cute are these free library-themed conversation hearts by Lacey Librarian?! I can’t wait to print and display them in my school library around Valentine’s Day!
If your fiction section is organized by genre or you want to feature a certain genre in a display, you will love these free fiction genre signs by Janet Miller!
Remind your students of the proper way to take care of a book with this free poster by Good Times and Good Books!

S&S Worldwide Classroom Supplies & Storage

Clip Art

Decorate your library newsletters, posters, and more with cute and FREE clip art from TpT’s fantastic clip artists!

A colorful Pets Reading Books clip art set from Little Bunnies Designs!
An absolutely precious set of book clip art by VirtualElementaryTeacher!

Bookmarks

Free bookmarks are awesome! Download and print some of these for your school library to encourage reading, creativity, and proper book care!

Back-to-School bookmarks by The Empathetic Teacher!
Another style of Back-to-School bookmarks by Starlight Treasures!
Or, try this set of Back-to-School bookmarks by Flying Colors Education Co!
Super cute bookmarks by Kenzie Evie Brooks Mom Designs that read, “Over the Rainbow to the Library I Go!”
Crayons with Confetti’s reading-themed bookmarks for your students to color!
A wide variety of summer-themed bookmarks by Raise the Bar Reading!
Adorable autumn-themed bookmarks by Simple Hometown Teaching!

Free and Fantastic

These products don’t fit neatly into one the categories above, but they’re sure to be a perfect fit in your school library!

Share your class agenda with these stylish slides by The Sparkling Librarian!
This pack of library printables by Black Girl in the Library includes fun activities for your students!
These book series labels by Elementary Library Resources could be a spectacular addition to your library!
File these library-themed coloring activities by Brittany Henderson with your back-to-school materials! Students can work together to make an amazing collaborative “We Love Our Library” poster!
Add this free printable by The Adorable Librarian to book care lessons this year!
Use these book lists by The Hungry Teacher to get some ideas of books you may wish to purchase for your library or recommend to students!
Introduce the topic of citing sources with this free coloring page (by me!). I love how much big kids enjoy the opportunity to color!
Give the game “Would You Rather?” a library spin using this freebie from Jennifer Siderius!

That’s all the free snacks for today, folks! I hope you enjoyed downloading these fabulous freebies from so many wonderful TpT shops!

Still hungry for more freebies? I’ve written several other blog posts that will provide you with even more free products you can use in your school library!

Check them out:

If you enjoyed these TpT freebies, make sure to follow my blog so that you can be sure not to miss my next post!

**Thank you to the TpT teacher-authors who gave me permission to include their free resources in this post! Please feel free to support their small businesses by following their stores and leaving feedback on their freebies!**

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Back-to-School Book Care with The Book That Jake Borrowed

(Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links, and if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.)

Don’t you just LOVE those first few library lessons of the year? Getting to meet new students and see the sweet faces of returning students is *priceless*!

During the past couple of years, I have included The Book That Jake Borrowed by Susan Kralovansky as one of my first read alouds for my first and second graders. Reminiscent of the classic tale “The House that Jack Built,” this story has a “library book care” twist that makes it wonderful for little library learners. It tells the story of the misadventures of a book that a boy named Jake checked out from the library. Unfortunately, Jake does NOT take good care of the book he has borrowed. Throughout the course of the story, the library book has run-ins with a dog, a cat, a rat, and some jelly!

The kids really enjoy this book because it includes great moments for them to join in with me as I read. The students LOVE yelling out, “Oh no!” and making animal noises throughout the story.

To make the interactive aspect of the story even more fun, I created little “cue cards” to help make the students aware of when it is their turn to say their lines. I select five “helpers” to stand with me as I’m reading the story, and I cue each of them to hold up their sign when it’s time for the students in the class to say their line. The helpers AND all the other students always find this read aloud SO MUCH FUN!

You can visit Susan Holt Kralovansky’s website for free resources to go with the story…

…and I have created a FREE DOWNLOAD FOR YOU that contains the cue cards I use with my students as well as a word search to go with The Book That Jake Borrowed!

(Btw, if you are teaching your students about book care, I also recommend the following book care coloring pages, available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. This has been one of my most popular products this Back to School season!)

*Book Care Coloring Pages, available in my TpT store!*

And, for more book care resources, please go ahead and visit one of my previous posts, where I have another book care freebie for you!

I wish you an amazing new school year! (And … I wish that no that library books that have had any interaction with dogs, cats, rats, or jelly are returned to your library!)

Free, Cheap, and Worth-the-Money STEAM Products for Your School Library or Classroom

(Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links, and if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.)

With summer vacation here at last, I’ve been able to step back from the chaos of every day, pause, and evaluate. We have finished up a “more normal” school year, so to speak, where my students actually got to visit the library and touch books and share materials. Having gone without a lot of my STEAM stuff during the 2020-2021 school year, I think my students were at their happiest this past year when they were finally designing, constructing, and building!

Here are some of their favorite hands-on things…that they can finally put their hands on again!

Free & Almost Free

If you are new to integrating STEAM into your school library or classroom, it is important to know that it does not have to be expensive. There are thousands of really cool STEAM challenges that students can complete with upcycled materials or items that can be purchased for less than $5.

My students’ favorite things to build with that are free or super cheap include:

Paper towel / Toilet paper tubes
Craft sticks
Clothespins
String / Yarn
Coffee filters
Cardboard boxes
Paper plates
Plastic cups
Plastic spoons
Paper from the recycling bin
Index cards
Straws
Bobby pins
Pipe cleaners / Chenille stems
Play-doh
Pom poms

STEAM Products That Deliver Bang for Your Buck

Although the free and super inexpensive stuff is a great place to start, there are tons of fantastic products out there that may be a great fit for your library or classroom if you are willing to make a just little bit more of an investment. With shrinking budgets, I know how important it can be to make sure your students are going to enjoy and benefit from the products you purchase. I have bought a number of STEAM related products for my library over the last few years, and I believe these to be some of my best purchases in terms of value (and at the time of this post, each of these are less than $50).

Code and Go Mouse

Learning Resources Code & Go Robot Mouse Activity Set, 83 Pieces, Ages 4+, Screen-Free Early Coding Toy for Kids, Interactive STEM Coding Pet

My students absolutely love this guy. The Code and Go Robot Mouse helps students to learn basic coding skills without adding screen time to their day. Children also benefit from designing and building tracks for the mouse. If I were to pick one STEAM product that I have purchased that has been most beneficial to my students, this would be it! (I use this with kindergarten and up.)

Straws and Connectors

Roylco Straws and Connectors Building Kit – Pack of 230 – Assorted Colors

These are just so versatile. Kids use their imaginations to build so many different structures with these straws. I purchased the Roylco brand and my students have enjoyed using them, but there are tons of options on the market – you just want slightly flexible straws and something to hold them together and you’ll get hours of creative building. (I use these with preschool and up.)

Plus Plus Blocks

PLUS PLUS – Baseplate Duo & 240 Piece Basic Tube Set – Construction Building STEM Toy, Interlocking Mini Puzzle Blocks for Kids

These blocks were new to my library this year and such a great addition to our materials. Students can build small structures or intricate designs in 2D or 3D, and they are perfect for individual use or collaboration. My students asked for these over and over. (I use these with preschool and up.)

LASER MAZE

Think Fun Laser Maze (Class 1) Brain Game and STEM Toy for Boys and Girls Age 8 and Up – Award Winning and Mind Challenging Game for Kids (44001014)

I have some huge fans of the Laser Maze in my library. The goal of this game is to set up a series of mirrors so that a laser beam bounces off of them in a certain pattern. Students can also experiment and set up the mirrors in their own design. One downside is that this is essentially a one-player activity, so I have purchased two of them and use them in a center for two children at a time. (I use them with 2nd Grade and up.)

GeoMag CONFETTI Set

This was another new product I tried for the first time this year, and it was definitely a winner! These magnetic rods and balls are wonderful for building shapes and exploring the properties of magnets. (I use these with preschool and up.)

BrainBuilder Blocks

MindWare KEVA Brain Builders Set of 2: Original KEVA Brain Builders and KEVA Brain Builders Junior – Great Addition to STEM Building Toys and Classroom Games – 40 Planks & 70 Puzzles Total

This is a very simple product but one that makes it easy to see the wheels turning in my students’ minds. I have both the BrainBuilders and BrainBuilders Jr. and I usually just put both sets out at once. The pieces are simple wooden KEVA planks with cards that show different items you can build. The students have to figure out how to assemble the blocks to make them look like the picture. They are always so proud of themselves when they succeed! (I use these with preschool and up.)

ECOBEAMS

Miniland ECO Beams Building Set

These no-frills beams are great for little kids who would like to build large structures. Connecting these together takes a little bit of getting used to, but is great for fine motor skills. I have a couple of sets of these that I use all together so that students can build towers as big as they are! (I use these with preschool and up.)

Ready? Full STEAM Ahead!

By gathering these free, low-cost, or value-priced STEAM materials over the summer, you can integrate STEAM into your library or classroom as you begin the upcoming school year!

What are your favorite free, low-cost, or “worth-the-money” STEAM products? Share your favorites in the comments!

15 Favorite Picture Books of a Future Librarian

(Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links, and if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.)

I didn’t always know I would end up being a school librarian, but I DID always know I loved books. With summer vacation starting and the crazy pace of teacher life FINALLY slowing down, I thought I’d take you on a stroll down Memory Lane with me as I share some of my favorite picture books I loved when I was growing up.

Although a couple of these are holiday-specific and would work better in the fall or winter, most would make fabulous reads for your students or children any time of the year (so think about adding some of these picture books to your kids’ summer reading lists!).

How many of my favorite classic picture books do you remember loving as a child?

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

Make Way for Ducklings

Definitely an oldie-but-goodie, this book won the Caldecott Medal in 1942. It’s the story of how the Mallard family scours Boston for the best place to make their nest, stopping some traffic along the way.

Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina

Caps for Sale: A Tale of a Peddler Some Monkeys and Their Monkey Business

I’m not sure if I was more in love with the illustration of that peddler with a pile of hats on his head or the cheeky monkeys who steal the caps, but this is another one that brings back happy memories.

Just for You by Mercer Mayer

Just for You (Little Critter) (Look-Look)

This is the original Little Critter book and by far my favorite in the series. Little Critter wants to do something kind for his mom but can’t seem to get anything right.

Cranberry Thanksgiving by Wende and Harry Devlin

Cranberry Thanksgiving (Cranberryport)

Cranberry Thanksgiving tells the story of Grandmother and Maggie as they share their Thanksgiving meal with two guests. Will Grandmother’s special cranberry bread recipe remain a secret, or is one of the guests up to no good? I definitely loved that the authors included a cranberry bread recipe at the end of the story…my seven-year-old self thought it was the coolest way to end a book.

Polar Express by Chris Van Allsburg

Polar Express 30th Anniversary Edition: A Christmas Holiday Book for Kids

I’ll never forget seeing the gorgeous illustrations in this picture book for the first time. I couldn’t believe someone really drew that perfect little jingle bell. Amazing!

Corduroy by Don Freeman

Corduroy

Corduroy’s after-hours adventure in the department store is magical and fueled my blossoming five-year-old imagination. And I just love that line when Lisa tells Corduroy she likes him just the way he is but that fixing the button might make him more comfortable.

A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams

A Chair for My Mother: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner (Reading Rainbow Books)

A beautifully-illustrated story of a family that starts over after a fire. I remember being captivated by the idea of saving pennies in a jar, and I loved the beautiful floral-printed chair the family purchases. I shared this one with my second grade library students this past spring, and they enjoyed it too.

Amelia Bedelia by Peggy Parish

Amelia Bedelia

Oh, Amelia Bedelia! I have so many fond memories of reading about this queen of literal language when I was a first grader!

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein

The Giving Tree

I remember being about eight and hearing this story for the first time during library time at school and being a little bit changed that day. I wondered, am I more like the boy or the tree? Should I try to grow up to become the tree? And it still gets me thinking.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Because we all have a day like Alexander’s from time to time.

The Little Duck by Judy Dunn

The Little Duck (Pictureback(R))

I had a copy of this book as a child and was thrilled to come across it on Amazon awhile back so I could enjoy this story again. With beautiful photography, this book tells the story of Henry, a duckling who is raised by a little boy on a farm and who eventually makes his way back into the wild. My favorite photo in the book would have to be the picture of Henry resting on the back of the boy’s golden retriever. Such a sweet book. (If you decide to read this one to your students, check out these print-and-go activities that go with this book!)

The Berenstain Bears’ New Baby by Stan and Jan Berenstain

The Berenstain Bears’ New Baby

I was a HUGE Berenstain bear fan as a kid. When McDonald’s came out with Berenstain Bear Happy Meal toys, my parents let us have so much McDonald’s, and eventually when the fast food restaurant switched to a new kind of toy, my dad negotiated with the McDonald’s manager to find one last Mama Bear in a back room somewhere to complete my set. (Thanks, Dad! I still remember that!)

I’m a self-proclaimed connoisseur of the early books in this loveable series, and this one that tells about the birth of Sister Bear is my fave.

The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper

The Little Engine That Could (Original Classic Edition)

Such an inspirational little story! I remember loving the illustrations of the toys and the cheery little engine.

Round Trip by Ann Jonas

Round Trip

These illustrations…Wow! This is another one of the picture books that left me skipping out of my elementary school library with a new appreciation for human creativity. If you aren’t familiar with the book, all of the black-and-white illustrations can be viewed right-side up or upside down. I busted this one out for my own library students this year and they were just as excited as I had been years ago. I heard a lot of, “How did they do that?” “Turn the page upside down again!” and “This is awesome!” that day.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

The Very Hungry Caterpillar

A creative twist was oh so fun for me when I was learning to read, and I just loved the pages of this book with the holes as part of the design. When I think back to early moments of childhood joy, I think of sitting on my mom’s lap and imagining that caterpillar eating his way through one watermelon slice and one slice of chocolate cake and one ice cream cone.

Each and every one of these books came into my life courtesy of my parents, teachers, or school librarian. What an amazing gift a great book is for a child – for building language skills AND memories that can last a lifetime! Thinking about these stories makes me stop to appreciate the blessing of my job as a school librarian. I hope that one day my students can still remember some of these and other life-changing stories I’ve shared with them.

What books come to mind when you think about reading as a young child? Feel free to share one of your favorite childhood books in the comments!

Fabulous Face Masks for School Librarians

(Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links, and if you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.)

This image is a derivative of a photo by Robert Wilkos from Pixabay

I will admit it…face masks freaked me out at first. When people first started wearing them regularly in my area of the world, seeing folks wearing face masks would put me in a melancholy mood. Masks seemed like such a bold reminder that everything had changed. I remember distinctly when I started spending time at school again in August to get ready for the school year, I felt so awkward wearing a mask and seeing my colleagues wearing them. And when school started and I kept seeing all those cute little grins covered with masks, the sight made me feel so sad.

My school has been fully in-person, five days a week since August, and that has given me plenty of time to get adjusted to the face mask thing. Little by little, I became accustomed to the new normal, and now, once in awhile, I actually feel a little bit naked when I take my mask off.

I even discovered benefits to wearing a mask throughout the school year (in addition to the obvious benefit of reducing the spread of COVID). A mask DEFINITELY keeps your nose warmer during recess duty on a cold day, and I made it through the winter without getting chapped lips this year. A mask is great for “eeek…I have a big zit!” and “oh snap, some of my lunch has been stuck in my teeth all afternoon!” days. And finally, some masks are pretty adorable. And some of them are even library-themed!

My Favorite Four Masks for Librarians

These are my favorite library-themed masks in my collection. (You should know before purchasing any that I prefer my masks to be pretty full-coverage, to have a nose-wire, and to have a filter pocket, so if you prefer a small, thin mask, these are probably not for you. Also…Disclaimer: I’m recommending these because I have had positive experiences with them, but I can’t weigh in on whether they are effective at protecting against COVID because that is not my area of expertise!) I have found that these masks fit me well, have lasted through numerous library lessons, and usually prompt several compliments each time I wear them! 😁

This was the first book-themed mask I purchased, and probably the one I get the most compliments on:

Here’s a bookshelf themed one:

Here’s another bookshelf mask that is super colorful and cute:

And here’s another stylish librarian mask, which combines design elements of the other three:

So, that’s the round-up of book-themed face masks I recommend. (Please remember that I’m basing this on personal experience as a teacher…I’m not an infectious disease expert, so I can’t speak to the effectiveness of these masks in terms of controlling the spread of illness! I just think they are cute.) 😊

Feel free to purchase these masks for yourself and be my twinsie!

Yes! EVEN MORE Freebies for Your School Library on Teachers Pay Teachers

It’s THAT time of year – that stretch of late February when spring seems so close but SO far.

Spring…you are out there somewhere…right? RIGHT??!! – This image is a derivative of a photo by freegr from Pixabay

So…to brighten your day…I think it’s a perfect time for some freebies!

If you’re new around here, I should let you know that I LOVE the free products on TpT. (That’s why I design so many for my store!)

I also LOVE compiling lists of cool freebies on TpT for school librarians. (If you’ve never seen one of my lists before, check out this one and this one and this one too!)

So without further ado, here’s my latest list of FREE products for teacher-librarians on Teachers Pay Teachers. Snuggle up and get downloading, friends!

STEAM / Makerspace

Let’s start off with these imagination-boosting STEM challenge cards by Teaching Dinos! Students will enjoy building their way through desert survival scenarios!

And check out this playground design freebie from EdTech classroom! Your students will have a ball as they design and build a prototype of a playground!

Which of your students can build the longest paper chain? Find out with this easy and fun stem challenge. (This was a perfect fit for my firsties right before Christmas! We used red paper, and after our class, the kids brought them home to use as decorations!) The free resource includes a versatile engineering and design planning sheet that would work for many different types of stem challenges!

Here’s a perfect stem challenge to wrap up a long winter – a “build an igloo” challenge by The Classroom Around the Corner!

Coding

Help your library learners get ready for coding with these unplugged coding activities! TpT has this super freebie by PixelPixiesPH and this one by EdTech Classroom! So fun!

Genres

When you teach your students about literary genres, TpT has plenty of free posters to help you out! Try this set by Teaching Literacy and this set by A First for Everything with Julie Pettersen!

Over 100 NEW Products Added! Hundreds of innovative new products, just in time for a new school year

Library Signage & Posters

Bring some style to your library space and make things easy to find by labeling sections with these signs by Joyful Librarian!

And these signs by TaylorMade-1st Grade are great for teaching students about how to take care of books!

And now, it’s time for a freebie designed by me! I made this free poster set to spread positivity and remind students that libraries offer something for everyone!

Dictionary Skills / ABC Order

Give your students a chance to practice their dictionary skills with this great freebie by Little Red Writing House and another one by Free to Teach.

Now here’s a cute one for winter! Students can review ABC order and using guide words with this freebie by Wild in Second Grade!

From Mrs Humphries class, try this free activity to give your students an opportunity to practice alphabetical order!

Setting the Standard has a double feature for us – ABC order printable task cards and Boom Cards™. Your little library friends can practice those ABCs whether you are teaching in person or virtually or a little of both!

In this freebie by More Than Math by Mo, students can enjoy an arctic animals theme as they practice their alphabetical order skills!

Research

Here are some terrific resources you can use when you are teaching your students how to research.

For your littles, this animal-themed research freebie by ATBOT the Book Bug would be a fun way to learn beginning research skills!

And this freebie by Travis Terry would make a great research assignment for your older students (and their science teachers will love you!)

This image is a derivative of a photo by VIVIANE MONCONDUIT from Pixabay

For The Little Ones

Your preschool or kindergarten library students will love making these adorable library memory books by the Brave Little Librarian!

And this resource by ATBOT the Book Bug includes several activities your littlest library students will enjoy during your lessons about fiction and nonfiction!

Here’s a cute puzzle by Naomi Meredith for your little guys to complete when you introduce the topic of digital citizenship!

And let’s not forget these adorable library-themed songs by Vr2lTch!

Bookmarks

You can never have too many bookmarks! There are tons of cute, printable, and FREE options on TpT! Such as…

This kindness-themed set by White’s Workshop!
This gaming-themed set by ATBOT the Book Bug!
This hidden picture set by Inner Pieces Gallery!
This set designed for middle and high school students by My Lovely Middle!
This Valentine’s Day themed set by Hot Chocolate ESL Education!
This set from Michael Friermood – The Thinker Builder, which also comes with complimentary and adorable posters!

Especially for Library Life in a Pandemic

Now it’s time for a SHOUT OUT to my fellow sanitizer-scented librarians who have the pleasure of teaching in person this school year! Here are a couple of goodies especially for you.

Did you ever think that book quarantining would be a thing? Yeah, me neither. But since it is, here’s some signage so you can label those potentially germy books while they de-germify! We’ve got a free book quarantine sign by To the Classroom and Beyond. And if you want a poster that really gets into the nitty-gritty of book quarantining dos and don’ts, here’s one from Flip and Flutter Creations!

And here are some signs by Shirley Anderson to remind students about sanitizing their hands before and after they touch books.

And to encourage social distancing, here is a free printable sign I designed that you can print off as a reminder of the expectation to social distance in the library or media center.

Fantastic and Fun Finds

These freebies didn’t fit neatly into my other categories, but they are just too darn awesome to pass up!

Are you teaching virtually and need a banner to make your Google Classroom™ a little brighter? Byte Sized Resources has you covered with this free banner set! Or, try this one by The LibrariYan! Or download both and keep switching them up!

I made this free deck of Boom Cards™ to help students practice organizing fiction books in alphabetical order by call number! It’s great for in-person learning or digital learning (if I do say so myself!). 😁

And this free product from Hands on Reading includes a fun library scavenger hunt and a book spine poetry activity!

So Many Freebies!

This concludes our latest TpT-freebie-ganza! Please visit my Teachers Pay Teachers store (and the stores of any of these great TpT teacher-authors!) so you can discover other fantastic resources that will help you through that last L-O-N-G stretch of the school year!

**Thank you so much to the Teachers Pay Teachers teacher-authors who gave me permission to include links to their free resources in this post! Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to my blog so you don’t miss my next post!**

Disclosure: The banner below is an affiliate link. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive compensation at no additional cost to you.

Fiction vs. Nonfiction Freebie!

Approximately 99.9340394% of primary teachers and elementary librarians spend at least a little time going over the difference between fiction and nonfiction. A similar percentage of children LOVE robots.

So I decided to switch up one of my usual lessons in my “fiction vs. nonfiction” unit this year in kindergarten library class and go with a robot theme. Our read aloud for one of the days was part of a nonfiction book about robots, and one of the accompanying activities was a robot-themed coloring page that compares fiction and nonfiction.

It was a hit!

And here’s that printable…for you…for FREE!

Free Printable!_Download

Enjoy! For more resources for your library littles, please visit my TpT store!

Disclosure: The banner below is an affiliate link. If you click through and make a purchase, I will receive compensation at no additional cost to you.