Kattenstoet and Six Books About Cats

Every three years during the month of May, people in Ypres, Belgium participate in a festival specifically dedicated to cats. Yes, to cats! (I love cats.) This festival is called Kattenstoet or Kattenfestival. On this day, people attend Kattenstoet parades, dress up in cat costumes, and toss stuffed toys cats in the air. Sounds like fun, yes? Keep reading to learn more about Kattenstoet and for a quick list of children's books about cats.

Marlon Finds a Way by Dan Bailes

Have you ever watched a cat and wondered what is going on in its mind? Children's author Dan Bailes has! Dan Bailes recently released Marlon Finds a Way, a short chapter book about a cat named Marlon who wants to become friends with Silky the bird. Why would a cat want to become friends with a bird? What is Marlon thinking? In today's guest post Dan Bailes introduces us to Marlon, describes his book Marlon Finds a Way, and provides some discussion questions about the book you can use during your language arts lessons. Read on to learn more!

Hector, A Dog’s Story by Renata Kaminska

Last June, author Renata Kaminska released her first children's book Hector, A Dog's Story. Hector, A Dog's Story is a moving children's book that takes place during World War II and is told from the perspective and point of view of a family's pet. When one of Hector's owners dies, readers witness the grieving process Hector goes through and how he learns to find happiness again.

In today's guest post, Renata Kaminska writes about her children's book Hector, A Dog's Story, how dogs can affect children's development, and how having a dog can foster empathy in children. Keep reading to learn more!

This is a guest post written by Renata Kaminska, author of Hector, A Dog’s Story. To learn more about guest posts, please visit the Authors, Publishers, and Sponsors page. Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Over and Under the Snow by Kate Messner

Winter is almost here in the northern hemisphere and many children are learning about animals and animal adaptations such as migration and hibernation. I recently discovered a book that works really well for an integrated science + art + language arts lesson. It’s called Over and Under the Snow and is written by Kate Messner. It’s an excellent book for teaching about hibernation, which animals hibernate, and which ones don't. Keep reading to learn more!

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Asha Loves Science: Over in the Meadow by Najla Ahmad

When I was a child, I loved listening to the original Over in the Meadow poem. My kindergarten teacher had a felt storyboard set for the poem and I remember feeling giddy whenever she brought it out. In today's guest post, Najla Ahmad talks about her children's book Asha Loves Science: Over in the Meadow... a fun, multicultural twist of that old poem. In Najla Ahmad's version of Over in the Meadow, children learn fun facts about animals and a little bit of Urdu... the national language of Pakistan and 22 states in India. Keep reading to learn more!

This is a guest post by Najla Ahmad that first appeared on my blog in 2016.

To learn more about guest posts, please visit the Authors, Publishers, and Sponsors page.

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

What's an Og? by Mary Barry

Learning about letters and the sounds they make... phonics/phonetics... are important parts of learning how to read.  Engaging children in wordplay with rhyming words is one strategy parents and teachers can use to help their students become more proficient in reading.  In today's guest post, children's author Mary Barry talks about her recently released children's book called What's an Og?... a book full of wordplay and rhymes for the /og/ sound. Keep reading to learn about What's an Og? and how Mary Barry came up with her idea for the story!

This is a guest post by Mary Barry. To learn more about guest posts, please visit the Authors, Publishers, and Sponsors page.  Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

 

If You Give a Moose a Muffin by Laura Joffe Numeroff

If you’ve read the book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura Joffe Numeroff and enjoyed it, then you need to read her book If You Give a Moose a Muffin. If You Give a Moose a Muffin is about a hungry moose who wants a snack.  Once he gets his muffins, a whole chain of events gets set into motion, and the story ends where it began.  If You Give a Moose a Muffin is a good example of a circle story.  What is a circle story?  How can you use this book to teach circle stories to your students?  Keep reading to find out!

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

 

Where Does Coffee Come From?

If you were to ask a child where coffee comes from, you might get an answer like Starbucks, Dunkin,' or... my personal favorite place... Tim Hortons.  But... if you were to follow up that question and ask where the coffee comes before it gets to Starbucks, Dunkin', or Tim Hortons... you may get a blank stare.  Have you ever wondered where coffee comes from?  Keep reading to find out!

The inspiration for this blog post came from the children's book Slothee Wants Coffee by Nikki Pezzopane and her son Cameron Fica.  Slothee Wants Coffee is about a sloth named Slothee who travels the world in search of the perfect cup of coffee.  

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Grouchy Goose by Betina Baptist

Grouchy Goose by Betina Baptist is a children's book about two geese... Grouchy Goose and Gossipy Goose... who learn about manners, making good choices, and friendship.  In today's guest post, Betina Baptist describes the inspiration for Grouchy Goose and how you can integrate it into your lessons about emotions and facial expressions.  Keep reading to learn more! 

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

The following is a guest post written by Betina Baptist. To learn more about guest posts, please visit the Authors, Publishers, and Sponsors page.

Yuka's Way Home by Abigail Roscoe

Several months ago, I wrote a blog post about reindeer and some interesting and fun facts about them.  Today's blog post is about a children's book about reindeer that I recently learned about... Yuka's Way Home by Abigail Roscoe.  Yuka's Way Home is a fictional animal story about a caribou named Yuka who gets separated from his herd, joins a herd of reindeer, and makes his home with them.  Who is Yuka?  How did he get separated from his herd?  How was able to make his home with the reindeer?  Keep reading to learn more about Yuka's Way Home and for ways you can use it in the classroom!

  

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Carl the Cantankerous Cat by Donna Paul and Karen Patel

If you are a cat lover like I am, you need to read Carl the Cantankerous Cat by Donna Paul and Karen Patel.  I first heard about Carl the Cantankerous Cat in a teacher group on Facebook when some elementary school teachers were raving about it.  I downloaded it from Amazon to see what the hype was about and became an instant fan!  Not too long after that, I received a copy of Carl the Cantankerous Cat and some swag from the authors.  I entered one of their giveaways on Instagram and won a prize bundle.  Yay!  What did I win, you ask?  Keep reading to find out!

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Black Bear Goes to Washington and Run Like a Sled Dog by Denise Lawson

There are two famous sled dog races that take place in Alaska each year, the Yukon Quest and the Iditarod. The Iditarod is held each year on the first Saturday in March. Teams of sled dogs and mushers gather in Anchorage, Alaska this and make the 1,000-mile trek to Nome, Alaska. The Iditarod is a challenging race that takes 8 to 15 days to complete. The Yukon Quest which is also 1,000 miles is considered to be even more challenging than the Iditarod because it takes place earlier in the year when it's colder and darker. It runs between Fairbanks, Alaska and Whitehorse, Yukon (Canada), and takes 9 to 24 days to complete. The race is unique in that it takes place in two countries. Each year the direction of the race alternates so Fairbanks and Whitehorse take turns being the start and finish line. The Yukon Quest is so challenging... it is considered to be the toughest sled dog race in the world!

Author Denise Lawson recently adopted a retired sled dog named Black Bear.  Black Bear was born in Eagle, Alaska and was a lead dog in the 2009 Yukon Quest.  She also led dog teams on remote wilderness expeditions for many years.  How cool is that?  When Black Bear was ready to retire and needed a forever home, Denise Lawson and her family welcomed her into theirs.  Denise Lawson loves Black Bear so much, she wrote an entire series of children's books about her.  The first book in the series is Black Bear Goes to Washington and the most recent book is Run Like a Sled Dog.  Keep reading to learn more about these two books, how you can use them in the classroom, and more about Black Bear herself!

If you are looking for the FREE Sled Dog Research printable, it has been moved to the blog post Fun Facts About Sled Dogs.  Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

The Better-Than-Best Purim by Naomi Howland

Hooray!  Purim will be here in a few short weeks!  If you are looking for a children's book about Purim to read with your students, you've come to the right place.  I found the book for you.  It's called The Better-Than-Best Purim and is written by Naomi Howland.

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Please Don't Tell Cooper He's a Dog by Michelle Lander Feinberg

Anthropomorphism is the attribution of human characteristics and behavior to animals and objects.  When authors use anthropomorphism in their books, we see animals and objects behaving like humans.  They walk, talk, and think the way people do.  Anthropomorphism is a fun literary technique that tickles the imaginations of children and keeps them engaged with what they are reading.  

Please Don't Tell Cooper He's a Dog by Michelle Lander Feinberg is about a beloved family pet Cooper who thinks and acts like a person.  What does Cooper in the story?  How does he behave?  Keep reading to learn about Please Don't Tell Cooper He's a Dog and how you can introduce anthropomorphism to your students!

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Marvelous Masks by Nicole Billick

Using children's books to introduce vocabulary words to young readers is an important strategy used regularly by preschool and elementary school teachers.  Children's books can expose readers to new words that don't ordinarily come up in day-to-day conversation.  For example, in Marvelous Masks by Nicole Billick, readers learn about the different types of masks and who wears them.  Some of the vocabulary words in Marvelous Masks will be familiar to readers... such as cowboy, doctor, and superhero... but other vocabulary words... such as chemist and blacksmith... may be new to them.

In this guest post, author Nicole Billick talks about her book Marvelous Masks and where she got the inspiration to write it.  She also describes some activities parents and teachers can use with their children and students when they finish the book.  Keep reading to learn more about Marvelous Masks and the author!

The following is a guest post written by Nicole Billick.  To learn more about guest posts, please visit the Authors, Publishers, and Sponsors page.

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Will You Always Be Here? by Nadine Damo

Once upon a time, many moons ago I used to be a preschool teacher.  I taught preschool for a few short years and really enjoyed that experience.  It was nice to plan lessons without having to worry about standardized tests, being able to focus on social skills, and making learning fun for the little ones.  We ate snacks, sang songs, played with toys, made crafts, and read lots of books.  One of my favorite times of the day occurred after lunch.  We would turn down the lights, read a soothing story, play some soft music, and tuck the children in for their naps.  Zzzzzzzzzz.

It was important to read soothing books during that time... exciting books would fire the children up, making it hard for them to settle in for their naps.  Nadine Damo recently published her first book called Will You Always Be Here? which is a good example of the kind of book I would have read way back when.  It's a soothing story about a baby owl who is anxious about many things but finds comfort and reassurance in his father's... and Father's... strength and guidance.  Keep reading to learn more about Will You Always Be Here? and for a simple arts-n-crafts activity you can make with your students.

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

The Cat That Changed America by Tony Lee Moral

P22 is a mountain lion that has captured the hearts and imaginations of the people living in the Los Angeles, California area.  Mountain lions are solitary creatures that normally live in mountains, forests, and deserts.  However, P22 became famous when he was discovered living in a park... in downtown Los Angeles!  Who is P22?  How did he wind up in downtown Los Angeles?  How did he change America?  Tony Lee Moral answers these questions in his book The Cat That Changed America.  Keep reading to learn more about The Cat That Changed America, P22, and how you can integrate geography and map skills into your lessons about this book!

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Charlie Tractor and the Garden by Carrie and Katie Weyler

If you are an avid follower of Kelly's Classroom Online, then you know how much I love animal stories and books and activities about gardening.  I recently discovered Charlie Tractor and the Garden by Katie and Carrie Weyler... a realistic fiction story based on real-life events... that has both pets and gardens... yay!  Charlie Tractor and the Garden is about a boy named Charlie, his dog Pickles, and the naughty mischief Pickles gets himself into.  How is this story based on real life?  What kind of 'pickle' does Pickles the dog get himself into?  (Yes... I went there...)  Keep reading and find out!

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Crazy Cats from Outer Space by Matt Bell

A couple of months ago, I wrote about Matt Bell's books The Rounders and the Tallers and The Jellies and the Crunchers.  Both of these books were about two groups of people who could not get along and sometimes treated each other poorly. In these books, one group of people went as far as to discriminate against the other by banning them from stores, beaches, etc. Matt Bell's newest book Crazy Cats from Outer Space is similar to those first two in that it also about two groups who can't get along. But... as the title suggests... these aren't two groups of people... they are two groups of CATS! Keep reading to learn more about Crazy Cats from Outer Space and how you can use it to teach about tall tales.

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.

Zester the Zebra and His Missing Stripes by Christen Conrad

Early readers start learning about story plot and structure right from the get-go.  They learn that stories tend to follow a pattern and how to identify the story elements within that pattern.  The basic story elements include:

• characters (the main people or animals in the story)
• setting (where and when the story takes place)
• problem (the biggest problem in the story or decision that needs to be made)
• solution (how the problem is solved or the final decision made)

Zester the Zebra and His Missing Stripes by Christen Conrad is a fun, fast-paced story with easily identifiable characters, setting, problem, and solution that could be integrated easily into a language arts unit about story elements. Who is Zester the Zebra? How did his stripes go missing? How can you integrate Zester the Zebra and His Missing Stripes into your lessons? Keep reading to find out!

Disclosure: Affiliate links to Amazon are included in this post.