Celebrating World Read Aloud Day is a joy and a thrill each and every year! No matter how many times my students and I connect with authors and classes from around the country, I am constantly reminded about just how special these connections are. Spending the week skyping and reading terrific books brings together what I love best about the library: inspiring readers.
What did our week look like?
Monday, 3/2 - Mrs. Lussier was at the MSLA conference in Massachussetts learning a ton and having fun!
Monday, 3/2 - Mrs. Lussier was at the MSLA conference in Massachussetts learning a ton and having fun!
Tuesday, 3/3:
Ms. Stewart's 2nd graders shared Interrupting Chicken with Ms. Lindeman's 3rd graders from Babylon, NY. This was a new connection for us, and we had a lot of fun! Reading Interrupting Chicken is hilarious!
Ms. Stewart's 2nd graders shared Interrupting Chicken with Ms. Lindeman's 3rd graders from Babylon, NY. This was a new connection for us, and we had a lot of fun! Reading Interrupting Chicken is hilarious!
Next, Mrs. Brand's kindergarteners read My New Friend is So Fun by Mo Willems with Ms. Hendrix's class from Asheville, NC. This was a great one because there are 2 extra characters and a surprise ending!
WRAD would not be complete without a connection with the amazing Mr. Winner and his kindergarteners from Elkridge, Maryland. There was much laughter and fun as we read Mo Willem's Waiting is Not Easy!
Of course we had to draw some Pigeon pics! Who can resist?!? The tremendous Mo Willems was the keynote at MSLA and I learned that drawing is simply about shapes. I'll stick to reading thank you, but these kids were amazing!
Our day wrapped up with another new connection - Ms. Uribe and her students from Austin, Texas skyped with Mrs. Loffredo's 1st graders. Elephant and Piggie starred again as we read We Are in a Book.
Wednesday:
Mrs. Canning's kindergarteners came to library for a very special connection: Author Erin Dealey! She connected with us all the way from California! She had to get up pretty early AND the moment we were connecting, her power went out! Unbelievable. But after a couple minutes everything got back on track and we were treated to a very special skype. Ms. Dealey shared her passion for reading with my students and even taught them a little song! I had brought two of her books to Mrs. Canning to share with the kids before the skype so they were familiar with her work and she read Little Bo Peep Can't Get to Sleep to us. There is something so special about an author reading their work aloud. We were even treated to a bonus book, Deck the Walls: A Wacky Christmas Carol. What a pleasure it was to meet this special author!
Mrs. Canning's kindergarteners came to library for a very special connection: Author Erin Dealey! She connected with us all the way from California! She had to get up pretty early AND the moment we were connecting, her power went out! Unbelievable. But after a couple minutes everything got back on track and we were treated to a very special skype. Ms. Dealey shared her passion for reading with my students and even taught them a little song! I had brought two of her books to Mrs. Canning to share with the kids before the skype so they were familiar with her work and she read Little Bo Peep Can't Get to Sleep to us. There is something so special about an author reading their work aloud. We were even treated to a bonus book, Deck the Walls: A Wacky Christmas Carol. What a pleasure it was to meet this special author!
 Another favorite to read aloud together is The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt. Ms. Wilbanks and her students from Athens, Georgia enjoyed each and every color. Especially the peach crayon. Go ahead. Giggle. | Mr. Stroh and his 4th graders from Michigan connected with Mrs. Caramanello's 1st graders. Mr. Stroh and I have a ton of fun every time we connect (remember the Crayons from last year?) This year we read Elephant and Piggie, We Are in a Book which was just as terrific! Reading books aloud together is just pure fun!  |
It was a long time coming, but Nancy Jo Lambert and I finally connected! She and her students from Frisco, Texas read The Book with No Pictures with Mrs. Lundt's 2nd graders. It was the first time either class had heard the book and my first time reading it aloud. It was fabulous! We laughed and laughed.
Mrs. Reed's students from Newton, MA also connected with Mrs. Lundt's 2nd graders. It was a busy day! We decided to read The Adventures of Beekle. No matter how many times you read this book, there is always something new to notice and talk about. There is a reason it was this year's Caldecott Award winner. What a special book to read together for World Read Aloud Day.
Mrs. Reed's students from Newton, MA also connected with Mrs. Lundt's 2nd graders. It was a busy day! We decided to read The Adventures of Beekle. No matter how many times you read this book, there is always something new to notice and talk about. There is a reason it was this year's Caldecott Award winner. What a special book to read together for World Read Aloud Day.
Thursday - SNOW! Can you believe it? Every year. (But we made up some of these the following week!)
Friday
So thrilled to connect again with Ms. Uribe's class! This time we read The Day the Crayons Quit with Mrs. Francis's 3rd & 4th graders. It is such fun to read aloud!
Mrs. MacDonald's 4th graders connected with Mrs. Greco's 3/4s and together we read Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman. This was new to all the kids and the surprised looks on their faces and giggles was wonderful!
Crankee Doodle by Tom Angleberger with all of its laugh-out-loud humor was a hit with Ms. Lambert's 5th graders and Mrs. Sorensen's 3/4 class!
To end our week, Mrs. Kozlik's 3/4 class shared Interrupting Chicken with Mrs. Nels and her students. Another classic read aloud!
So thrilled to connect again with Ms. Uribe's class! This time we read The Day the Crayons Quit with Mrs. Francis's 3rd & 4th graders. It is such fun to read aloud!
Mrs. MacDonald's 4th graders connected with Mrs. Greco's 3/4s and together we read Wolfie the Bunny by Ame Dyckman. This was new to all the kids and the surprised looks on their faces and giggles was wonderful!
Crankee Doodle by Tom Angleberger with all of its laugh-out-loud humor was a hit with Ms. Lambert's 5th graders and Mrs. Sorensen's 3/4 class!
To end our week, Mrs. Kozlik's 3/4 class shared Interrupting Chicken with Mrs. Nels and her students. Another classic read aloud!
The Following Thursday . . . we had school!!!
Mrs. Novak's class was thrilled to be able to connect with Mrs. Scrimgeour and her students from Essex, Vermont!
Then we had two very special guest readers joining us on our WRAD 2015 make up day.
Mrs. Sibiskie's 1/2 class had the great pleasure of connecting with the amazing Deborah Freedman. Deborah Freedman lives right here in Connecticut and is the author/illustrator of Blue Chicken and The Story of Fish and Snail, as well as the soon to be published By Mouse and Frog (ok, since it has taken me forever to write this post it is now published!) We were so excited because Ms. Freedman read us By Mouse and Frog! It was a super special sneak peek of this fun book!
One of my favorite things about Ms. Freedman's work are the pictures. There are so many things happening on the page that are important to notice as they help tell the story. This book really captured the students. Following the story, the kids had a chance to ask lots and lots of questions. I love it when an author or illustrator is up for answering questions, because it is not always easy. Sometimes questions are asked more than once - 1st and 2nd graders are so full of curiosity and wonder. There is a wide variety of questions too - from specific ones about being an author or illustrator to others about their family, pets, and more. Deborah Freedman was so gracious and passionate about her work - we were indeed very fortunate to have the opportunity to talk with her. Thank you again for taking time to read with my students!
Mrs. Sibiskie's 1/2 class had the great pleasure of connecting with the amazing Deborah Freedman. Deborah Freedman lives right here in Connecticut and is the author/illustrator of Blue Chicken and The Story of Fish and Snail, as well as the soon to be published By Mouse and Frog (ok, since it has taken me forever to write this post it is now published!) We were so excited because Ms. Freedman read us By Mouse and Frog! It was a super special sneak peek of this fun book!
One of my favorite things about Ms. Freedman's work are the pictures. There are so many things happening on the page that are important to notice as they help tell the story. This book really captured the students. Following the story, the kids had a chance to ask lots and lots of questions. I love it when an author or illustrator is up for answering questions, because it is not always easy. Sometimes questions are asked more than once - 1st and 2nd graders are so full of curiosity and wonder. There is a wide variety of questions too - from specific ones about being an author or illustrator to others about their family, pets, and more. Deborah Freedman was so gracious and passionate about her work - we were indeed very fortunate to have the opportunity to talk with her. Thank you again for taking time to read with my students!
If you have not gotten a chance to connect with Julie Falatko yet, just do it. Right now. Get on Twitter and search @JulieFalatko. Julie is enthusiastic, kind, passionate and clearly loves kids and children's literature. I had the great good fortune to meet her in person at nErDcampNNE in Maine this January. We were in a session sharing great book titles and I had a blast learning with her. I asked her if she would be willing to connect with my students and she said, "YES!" Julie will have 3 books coming out in the next few years: Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book), Bunny's New Friends, and Help Wanted: One Rooster. We can't wait!
Mrs. Ciccone's 1st and 2nd graders couldn't wait to meet Mrs. Falatko. We got skype going and off we went! First we did some introductions - pets too! Then, the reading began! She read a new favorite, I Don't Want to Be a Frog! by Dev Petty and illustrated by Mike Boldt. So hilarious! Julie is terrific at reading aloud! A new one for me was Red: A Crayon's Story by Michael Hall. This was a thoughtful book about a blue crayon who is mislabeled red.
We got to ask Julie lots of questions too. We also got to meet her daughter! Bonus book! Goodnight already! by Jory John - such fun! I cannot wait until her books start coming out next year. If you get a chance to have a school visit or skype with Ms. Falatko, you will enjoy every moment! Enormous thanks for spending time with us and celebrating World Read Aloud Day 2015!
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