15th January New School Year List 1: Rule Setting

I'm finding it hard to comprehend that I am going back to school next week. Where did the break go? Between lock down for me or friends and family I feel like I have seen no one and done nothing much except read and watch television. Oh woe is me.

I have been putting together lists of picture books for my classroom teachers to use as they begin a new year with a new class. I get lots of requests for books at the beginning of the year on friends; rule setting;  goals; separation, etc and usually the requests are on the run and I miss things that I later wish I'd supplied them with. So this year a list of suggestions for some situations. 

Today I thought I would do 'rule setting'. Child development suggests routines and rules are beneficial for children. Rules help children feel safe. Rules say, “Someone cares about me.” Rules mean, “I know what to expect.”  Here’s a dozen books to help start a discussion with your class. Of course this is not a definitive list but these books are in our school library and suitable for students 5 to 8 years old.

1. You Must Bring a Hat by Simon Philip & Kate Hindley

2. Rules of the House by Mac Barnett & Matt Myers

 

3. Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! by Mo Willems

 

4. A Visitor For Bear by Bonny Becker & Kady MacDonald Denton

5. Officer Buckle and Gloria by Peggy Rathman

 

6. Rufus Goes to School by Kim T. Griswell & Valeri Gorbachev

 

7. Maurice the Unbeastly by Amy Dixon & Karl James Mountford

8. The Station Mouse by Meg McLaren

9. Noodlephant by Jacob Kramer & K-Fai Steele

 

10. David Goes to School by David Shannon

11. Do Unto Otters by Laurie Keller

 

 

12. What If Everybody Did That? By Ellen Javernick & Colleen Madden

22nd July Alexander Calder (1898 - 1976) Kady MacDonald Denton (1941)

Alexander Calder, known as Sandy, is the American sculptor who made mobiles famous. His father and grandfather were also Alexander and sculptors and his mother was a painter so it may have been inevitable that after initially studying engineering, Calder a brilliant mathematician became a sculptor who combined all his loves to make amazingly balanced mobiles and installations. There's not a lot of books around about Calder that are suitable for very young children, but he is one of the sculptors in 13 Sculptures Children Should Know by Angela Wenzel. There is a work of fiction, Sandy's Circus by Tanya Lee Stone. If you have children who like mobiles and want to read about them, see Counting Chickens by Flensted which isn't Calder, but those from Denmark.

Kady MacDonald Denton is the illustrator responsible for those very endearing bears in Bonny Becker's series of books. She is Canadian and writes as well as illustrates books. Another recent book that she has illustrated is Tim Wadham's The Queen of France. These authors are fortunate to have Kady heighten their profile.