Reading – Page 39 – Pernille Ripp

being a teacher, books, Literacy, picture books, Reading, student choice

Our Top Picture Books of 2015

January 6, 2016January 8, 2016 Pernille Ripp

For the past 3 days, my 7th grade students have been furiously discussing the their favorite picture books as we get ready for the Caldecott awards. While we have not voted for our top 3 yet, I thought it would be worthwhile to share our all of our favorite picture books from 2015. What I love the most is the care that the students are putting into their conversations surrounding their selection, looking beyond the “What a great story!” and really searching for picture books that will leave a long lasting impression instead. Note, some of these are sadly ineligible for the award since the illustrator does not reside in the US, nor are they a citizen. So if you are looking to boost your picture book collection, start with some of these incredible books.

The Skunk – story by Mac Barnett, Art by Patrick McDonnell

Strictly No Elephants – Story by Lisa Manchev, Art by Taeeun Yoo

Strictly No Elephants Art and Story by Jessixa Bagley

Drum Dream Girl – Story by Margarita Engle, Art by Rafael Lopez

Frederick’s Journey: The Life of Frederick Douglas – Story Doreen Rappaport, Art by London Ladd

Sidewalk Flowers – Story by Jon Arno Lawson, Art by Sydney Smith

Sad, the Dog – Story by Sandy Fussell, Art by Tull Suwannakit

Marilyn’s Monster – story by Michelle Knudsen, Art by Matt Phelan

I Don’t Like Koala – Story by Sean Ferrell, Art by Charles Santoso

The Night World – Story and Art by Mordicai Gerstein

Lenny and Lucy – Story by Philip C. Stead, Art by Erin E. Stead

Waiting – Story and Art by Kevin Henkes

Little Bird’s Bad Word – Story and Art by Jacob Grant

I’m Trying to Love Spiders – Story and art by Bethany Barton

To the Sea – Story and Art by Cale Atkinson

Elwood Bigfoot: Wanted Birdie Friends – Story by Jill Esbaum, Art by Nate Wragg

Float – Story and Art by Daniel Miyares

The Bear Ate Your Sandwich – Story and Art by Julia Sarcone-Roach

Henry Hyena, Why Won’t You Laugh ? – Story by Doug Jantzen, Art by Jean Claude

Beautiful Hands – Story by Kathryn Otoshi, Art by Bret Baumgarten

If You Plant A Seed – Story and Art by Kadir Nelson

Pom Pom Panda Gets the Grumps – Story and Art by Sophy Henn

Growing Up Pedro – Story and Art by Matt Tavares

Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer: The Spirit of the Civil Rights Movement – Story by Carole Boston Weatherford, Art by Ekua Homes

Water is Water – Story by Miranda Paul, Art by Jason Chin

Last Stop on Market Street – Story by Matt De La Pena, Art by Christian Robinson

Toys Meet Snow – Story by Emily Jenkins, Art by Paul O. Zelinsky

Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World’s Most Famous Bear – Story by Lindsay Mattick, Art by Sophie Blackall

The Only Child – Story and Art by Guojing

I cannot wait to see which books are in the top!

To see other favorite books in our classroom, go here

being a teacher, books, Literacy, picture books, Reading

10 More Picture Books to Add to Your Collection

December 28, 2015 Pernille Ripp

I cannot do a best of the year book list. There are too many that I have loved. There are too many I have yet to discover. A book always gets left off and I wonder why I forgot it. So instead, I will continue my tradition of offering up some great new additions to our classroom library. I have been on a year long mission to get as many great picture books into the hands of my students, and so here is the latest batch that we have been reading aloud, discussing, using, and sharing.

When I wanted to send a picture book to Australia, I knew that I wanted to send one by Wisconsin native Pat Zietlow Miller. So I sent the book Wherever You Go. Not only does it have the best message, but I have also found that every age group I have read it to has loved it. It is a new classic in my opinion.

My school is very focused on creating an inclusive environment for all students and so I have been on a mission to include more picture books that speak to all of my students. Jacob’s New Dress by Sarah and Ian Hoffman is a book a child may need, I don’t need, but in case they, I want it to be there for them.

As my students created their own non-fiction picture books I needed strong mentor texts to show them just how amazing this genre can be. Growing Up Pedro by Matt Tavares is an incredible example of a sports focused nf picture book that does not read like a long list of facts. This is a book that will be read and used for years to come.

The same goes for the historical nf picture book Lillian’s Right to Vote by Jonah Winter and Shane W. Evans. In it we learn about the fight for voting rights for African Americans as Lillian walks up the stairs to cast her vote. Masterfully told, this one moved me to tears.

Picture books don’t usually make me cry, but this one did as I read it aloud to my own children. Eve Bunting is a master storyteller, Fly Away Home is a book I have used many times. The pairing here in Yard Sale with Lauren Castillo’s beautiful illustrations is really out of this world, and the conversations, the inferring that can happen because of this book is powerful.

Can Kadir Nelson do anything wrong? If You Plant A Seed not only has a great message for all ages, but the illustrations are breathtaking.

Groundhog’s Dilemma by Kristen Remenar and illustrated by Matt Faulkner is not just a book for Groundhog’s Day. It is a book for all ages that need to discuss what peer pressure can do to you and how to navigate friendships.

This one, Once Upon an Alphabet by Oliver Jeffers, is the reason Oliver Jeffers is a Global Read Aloud Contender for the picture book category. While perhaps hard to read aloud in one sitting, it is definitely still worth sharing with others as each little story will make you laugh or wonder. I also cannot wait to see what type of writing might be inspired by this book.

I love a narrator that speaks to their reader, it gets me every time. Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book) by Julie Falatko and illustrated by Tim Miller is laugh out loud funny, and yet, is bound to also lead to a great conversation about how to deal with others. How many of our students could need a little with that?

How many of us have taught students whose parents or other people they know are in jail? Visiting Day by Jacqueline Woodson once again means that we have a book that can start hard conversations. That students can find themselves in even if they do not want to share about their own experiences.

There are always more books to highlight, to share, but for now I will leave it at these 10. To see other lists of favorite books, go here, I try to share as much as possible.

aha moment, being a teacher, books, Literacy, Reading

How Do You Know Which Books To Purchase? A Few Tips to Help Build A Better Classroom Library

December 28, 2015 Pernille Ripp

Several years ago, I had a classroom library that was filled to the brim with books. Every shelf crammed. Every space occupied, yet every independent reading time it never failed; a student would ask if they could please go to the library to find a book. I didn’t think twice about it. Of course, they could go to the library, where else would they get books? One day it finally did strike me as odd; why in the world were the students not going to our library first to see all the books there. There were great books on the shelves, there had to be, right. I mean, I am sure there was, they just had to find them first.

And that was exactly it; our library was full. Full of left over books I had picked up when other teachers weeded. Full of books picked up from our local goodwill store and garage sales. A few random selections from Scholastic bonus points that did not really fit my students. Full of books inherited when the teacher before me had left the room. Full of books with torn covers, broken spines, and even a few missing pages. The library was full and not a child was reading.

So I did the unthinkable; I threw out books. I got rid of all of those books that no child had read for years. The ones with the covers falling off, the ones that I wouldn’t even read. I got rid of the old, the broken, and even sometimes the new. The too mature. The unwanteds and the forgotten. And then I stood back and looked at my very empty library, wondering what to do. Because now I had an empty library and my problem was not solved. There still were no books to read.

Research says different things on how many books we need in our classroom libraries. Some say 20 books per child. Others say between 300-600 total. But the number doesn’t matter if the books are not good. So instead of focusing on quantity, I figured that was a lost cause any way since I had not won the lottery, I focused on quality. I focused on getting high interest books in the hands of my students when I could. And slowly but surely our library grew and it continues to do so to this day. So how did I figure out which books to purchase?

I asked the students. Paying attention was not enough so I started by asking them which books they liked to read. Something so simple that had the biggest results. They wrote me lists so I knew what to focus my limited budget on.

I handed them Scholastic catalogs. For all of those books that we had not read yet, I needed to know what looked good to them. So they would hand me catalogs back with books circled. If more than one child circled a book, I knew it would probably be a good buy. I also took better advantage of all of the bonus point deals from Scholastic and I told parents what my plans were. More parents purchased books so we could earn more points, and when we fell short, I funded it because let’s face it, that’s what we do as teachers.

I asked them to weed. While I had done the initial purge without them, I asked them to go through the library once more. However, this time books could be saved by students. So if a child wanted to pull a book, another child could argue to have it kept. This also had the added bonus of familiarizing the students with the books we already had and led students to talk more about books.

I started to read their books. I had been reading books of my own, but adult books, which meant I had nothing to recommend to my students. So I started by asking them what I should read and then I did. When I finished a book, I would book talk and leave it out for the kids to read. Sometimes I would hand it to a specific student that I thought of while I read it. Slowly, we started a community of book talkers that continues to this day.

I used the public library. Those librarians know a thing or two about amazing children’s books so I started to pay attention. What did they have on display? What did they recommend? I would also borrow books and read them before I decided what to buy. I still do this a lot with the picture books I buy. I also used our local book stores more; what did they have on display? What was popular for them. Use the knowledgeable people that surround you.

I became better friends with my own school librarian. I have had the honor of working with some incredible librarians that love books as much as I do. And yet, I hardly ever spoke about books with them. What a wasted opportunity. So find out who the book lovers are in your school and befriend them if you have not already. Talk books whenever you can.

I fell in love with The Nerdy Book Club. There was my tribe of people who loved books, who had to recommend books, who knew just what books to invest in. To this day, the Nerdy Book Club is one of the only blogs that gets delivered straight to my inbox so I don’t miss a single post.

I paid better attention. I started to really notice what my students were reading, what they were abandoning. We started to speak more about the books we loved and why. Then I would go forth and try to find other books like that. Creating a community of book lovers is something that takes time, takes commitment, and will not just happen on its own. The students have so much to share if only we ask them.

I found the best kept secret. I still remember the moment I was told about Books4Schools, a dark warehouse here in Madison, WI that sells brand new overstock books for less than $2. Yup. And not random titles either but books my students want to read by authors like Cassandra Clare, John Green, Rick Riordan and so many others. While their only physical location is here, they also sell online and just as cheaply. Trust me, the deals are worth it and their stock changes all of the time.

4 years ago I realized that while our library was full, it was not great. It was not something the students could use. It was not something they wanted to use. So I embarked on a journey to get better books in the hands of my students. I found a better way to spend the precious money we have to get books for our libraries. And it worked. Slowly, our library has grown to now encompass more than 2,000 books. Books that the students want to read. Books that are worn out from use and not from age. Getting rid of books is one of the best decisions I made for out library, what has been yours?

To see some of our favorite books, go here.

If you are looking for a great book club to join to re-energize you in January, consider the Passionate Learners book club on Facebook. We kick off January 10th.

aha moment, being a teacher, being me, Literacy, questions, Reading, student choice

The Questions to Ask When The Kids Aren’t Reading

December 17, 2015December 17, 2017 Pernille Ripp

I met my first book abandoner my very first year of teaching. Yet, he was not your average run of the mill book abandoner. No, he was the “look you straight in the eye and ask you what you are going to do about it” kind of abandoner. So I did what I knew best; forced him to read the book and not allow him to abandon it. And he did what he knew best; fake read for a good amount of time, skimmed a few pages, and failed the book report as well as the presentation. Repeat with every book. I don’t think he ever read anything beside Diary of A Wimpy Kid that year, and that was even under the radar.

Everyone has these types of readers. The ones that abandon because they hate to read. The ones that abandon because they cannot find a great book. The ones that abandon because they get bored. Some years we have a lot, others not so many. So how can we heal break the abandonment cycle? How can we help these kids help themselves? Well, there are a few questions we can ask.

Do they have choice? Because if they don’t, then that is the very first place we start. And not limited choice based on levels or lexiles, but real honest-to-goodness choice where they get to pick their reading materials.

Do they have time? If little time is given to reading then we are expecting them to do something they may not like outside of school. The chances of that happening are pretty slim.

Do they have access? We know that students need great books in their hands. We know students need great libraries, but they also need books in our classrooms. And not old, worn out books, but new, enticing, high-interest books that they can check out easily.

Do they have people? Is it cool to not be a reader in their friend group? Who do they have to talk books to? Do they have reading role models that extend beyond the teacher? Get them connected in a meaningful way with others that read.

Do they have reason to read? And by that, I don’t mean because of a prize or a reward. Do they see any kind of gain from reading? Is anything positive connected to the art of reading? Will it actually make their lives better or is it just one more thing to do?

Do they have different ways to read? Reading is not just done with our eyes but also with our ears, so if a child is constantly abandoning books get them hooked on an incredible audio book. This has changed the reading path of several of my students in a profound way.

Are they hiding their true ability? I have taught several students that could ace their reading assessment, mostly because it had been given to them so many times, and yet had a large gap in their skills. So is their book abandonment masking a larger problem such as not actually understanding what they are reading or not having the stamina to stay with the story?

Are we making them do things that kill their love of reading? When students abandon books a lot, it is a sure sign that we need to reflect on our own practices. And not just skim over that reflection and pretend that everything must be ok. Are reading logs killing their love of reading? Are programs liked Accelerated Reader or LLI? Are we constantly asking them to do things with their reading?

Have we asked them? This is the biggest because too often we try to figure out why a child is abandoning books and we never ask them why. Not beyond the “What didn’t you like about it?” So instead we must give the students a chance to discuss or reflect and really start to study their own habits. What patterns do they see? What types of books might they like to read? What can they do to change their habits? Students need to feel empowered in their self-reflection because otherwise, their pattern won’t change. They also need to set goals and then be able to honestly assess their own progress.

Do they see themselves in the books? Such an important question asked by Dr. Jenn Davis Bowman. Because we need diverse books for all of our kids and if students cannot connect with what we have in our library then they will not read.

If you like what you read here, consider reading my newest book, Passionate Readers – The Art of Reaching and Engaging Every Child, out August 2017. This book focuses on the five keys we can implement into any reading community to strengthen student reading experiences, even within the 45 minute English block. If you are looking for solutions and ideas for how to re-engage all of your students consider reading my very first book Passionate Learners – How to Engage and Empower Your Students. Also, if you are wondering where I will be in the coming year or would like to have me speak, please see this page.

being a teacher, books, Literacy, Reading

The Books I Am Giving As Gifts

December 16, 2015 Pernille Ripp

While I made several book gift lists this year, I thought I would share the books that I am giving personally to my family. the books that took my breath away, the books that I know will make a difference to them and provide them with an incredible reading opportunity.

Laura Amy Schlitz’s The Hired Girl will be handed to the woman who loves historical accounts and likes to learn more about the past.

For the brother-in-law that loves to think deeply about the world, Neal Shusterman’s incredible Challenger Deep will hit all of the right notes. Bonus is that he saw me reading it and asked a lot of questions.

For the mother that taught me to stand up for all that I believe in and not to give up even when the world seems against you, another Neal Shusterman book; Unwind, the incredible first book of his series.

For the brother that loves a great page turner, especially one that involves the covering up of warfare, crazy diseases and just got engaged so a little bit of love is ok, Illuminae was an easy choice.

For the brother who introduced me to the wonders of Neil Gaiman and loves his comic book art as much as I do, Holly Black’s dark and amazing Coldest Girl in Coldtown made all the sense in the world.

For the brother that told me to read Harry Potter when he was only 8, I know get to tell him to read Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo knowing that he will fall into the fantasy world as much as I did. And then he can wait on the sequel along with me).

For the sister-in-law studying human psychology as she prepares to be a hospice nurse, Joelle Charbonneau’s masterful page turner Need was an easy decision.

I could have given All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds to every single person on my list but thought I would diversify. Instead my brother’s girlfriend will be the lucky receipient of the must read book of the year.

To my future sister-in-law who has brought nothing but love to our family, I wanted to give her a great book that would leave her guessing until the shocking conclusion. E. Lockhart’s We Were Liars was the perfect fit.

To the brother of my brother-in-law who loves a great mystery and also happens to be British, Jackaby by William Ritter is the perfect choice. This book happens to be great for any Sherlock Holmes or Dr. who fans out there, no matter their age.

To my sister who works as a domestic abuse advocate, the heart-wrenching story of Joseph in Gary D. Schmidt’s Orbiting Jupiter is sure to make her read all night. This is another book I could give to everyone on my list.

To my dad, who is still an old hippie at heart, who lived through the Vietnam Era, Steve Sheinkin’s latest page-turner Most Dangerous is a guaranteed fit.

To my other future sister-in-law whose degree is in social work, who cares so much about others, All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven will probably make her cry but then make her think.

And finally to my step-brother who served 2 tours, who does not mind escaping into a great book as he finishes his nursing degree, the incredible Every Day by David Levithan.

All of these books are books I have loved and I hope my family feels that. I hope they know that selecting just the right book is not a chore, but instead a privilege. Which books will you be giving as gifts?

PS: Here are my lists of books as gifts

Some Picture Books to Give As Gifts

Some Great Middle Grade Books to Give As Gifts

Some Great YA Books to Give As Gifts

If you are looking for a great book club to join to re-energize you in January, consider the Passionate Learners book club on Facebook. We kick off January 10th.

aha moment, being a teacher, being me, books, Literacy, Reading

On Reading Logs

December 13, 2015November 3, 2018 Pernille Ripp

I write this post not to shun, not to rage, and not to put down. I write this post not to say what is right or wrong, but instead to add a little tiny piece to the ongoing discussion of where reading logs may or may not fit into our classrooms. Of the damage and the usefulness of reading logs. This is not a post with absolutes, or at least, I don’t think it will be. Instead, it is a post meant for discussion.

I have written before on my complicated relationship with reading logs; from being a teacher who demanded all students fill them out, to a teacher who threw them out, to a teacher who was asked to use them as part of their teaching, to a teacher whose students asked them to stop, to a parent who has signed them. I have written about what to do instead of a reading log. But I have never written about how to use them better. Because I don’t like reading logs, there I said it, but at the same time, there are so many teachers that do, great teachers that care about children’s love of reading, and there are even teachers that have to use them. And I don’t feel that shaming others will further the conversations.

My biggest issue with reading logs comes from the inherent lack of trust that they communicate; we do not trust you to read every night, we do not trust you to read long enough, we do not trust you to grow as a reader, so fill out this paper instead. And while I could write a whole post on that, I think Jessica Lifshitz did a much better job on it than I ever will.

And yet, I also see the value in getting a window into the reading lives of a student. I see the value of having students understand their own reading habits so they can figure out how to grow. To mine their own data so to speak in order for them to discover new patterns and new goals. So what can we do, if we have to use reading logs (or we want to) to make them better for students?

Ask the students. Ask the students their feelings on reading logs and consider their feedback carefully. If most of your students think this tool will help them become stronger readers then work one out with them. For those that are opposed to them, figure something else out. If we truly want students to fully embrace the opportunities that we say can be found within a reading log then we need to make sure they have buy in as well. Create reading logs that are meaningful to the students, which means that they will probably look different from year to year, based on the students we teach.

Ask the parents. I will flat out tell you that I will sign whatever I have to from school. I will not count the minutes, I hate writing down titles because we read a lot, and I do not see much value in her logging her reading every night. If you want proof, ask me in an email or in conversations, but do not make me sign a piece of paper. If some parents like reading logs then by all means work out a system with them, but exempt the other parents since more than likely they will probably not be invested anyway.

Differentiate. For the kids that do want a reading log, find out what it is they would like to gain from it. I have a few students that love coming in every Monday and writing down the titles of the books they read or abandoned over the weekend (that is all they keep track of plus a rating). For those kids their record keeping is a way for them to remember what they have read and whether they liked it or not. They do not keep track of minutes or anything like that, we discuss that in our written reading reflections that we do once in a while or face to face. So find out what it is that the students like about logging their reading, if it is the reward that is attached to it then that should be a huge warning sign.

Keep it in class. When I had to do a reading log in my former district, we kept it in class. Students were asked to write down title and for how long they were focused on the book right after independent reading. That way, organization and parent follow up were removed from the equation and all kids (and me) were following the district expectation.

Stop rewarding. If reading logs really are meant as a way to investigate ones’ own reading habits then stop tying in rewards with them. The reward is in the reading, not the ticket, not the pizza, not the trinket. Ever.

Make it an experiment. If you like using reading log to find out student habits, then do it as a 2 week experiment with all students. Have them for 2 weeks keep track of when, where, what, and how much they read and then have daily or weekly conversations and reflections on what they discover. Set tangible goals from that. Do it periodically throughout the year if you really want this to be seen as a learning opportunity, that way students can see a value in tracking their reading life this way. If you have them do it all year, most students lose interest and will not see it as an opportunity to grow but just as one more thing to do.

Leave time for reflection. Rather than log, we reflect. My students set monthly reading goals and then at the end of the month they reflect on how they did. The students and I will meet and discuss formally and informally and this is what I use for my vantage point into their reading life. I ask them to tell me what they are working on and they do.

Don’t forget the purpose of reading logs. If the purpose is to help students grow as readers then make sure that the very act of filling out a reading log, with or without parent signature, is not damaging that purpose. It is often when we set up more processes for students in order to help them read better that we lose them as readers. When kids spend more time doing things attached to reading, rather than the act of reading we have a problem.

In the end, in our pursuit to establish classrooms filled with passionate readers, we must make sure that the things we do, even little parts of our day like reading logs, do not do more harm than good. That we fit our processes around our students, rather than the other way around. That we continue to debate, question, and consider as we decide what to invest our time in. And that we always, and I mean always, ask the students what they think. Even the little ones, they have a voice that matters too.

For all my ramblings on reading logs, here is where to start.

If you are looking for a great book club to join to re-energize you in January, consider the Passionate Learners book club on Facebook. We kick off January 10th.