Book of the Month

Our November/December book of the month is called Ricky, the Rock that Couldn’t Roll by Jay Miletsky.
This is the story of Ricky the rock who is flat on one side and cannot roll like his friends. Similar to Flight School, his friends come together to help get him rolling! This story highlights perseverance and triumph in the face of adversity, and the power of true friendship. Teachers will be using this story to reinforce these values and build resiliency through Makerspace activities, hands-on experiences, and class discussions.
Our August/September Book of the Month is Flight School, by Lita Judge.
This is a story about a penguin who has the soul of an eagle and is determined to fly. With a growth mindset and some support from his buddies, he is able to accomplish his dream and soar!

Our Book of the Month for March and April is Sarabella’s Thinking Cap by Judy Schachner.
This story celebrates creativity and what it means to be creative. It is about a little girl who is constantly daydreaming and creating new worlds from her imagination. In it, her understanding teacher recognizes her creativity, but it also addresses the expectations of a classroom setting, and how to meld the two. This beautifully illustrated book will connect with all children who have an active imagination!
Check out these resources to spark your child’s creativity at home!
Articles:
10 Ways to Spark Your Child’s Imagination
25 Ways to Spark Your Your Child’s Creative Thinking
The Whole Child- Creativity and Play
Places (Bay Area Kid Fun):
Children’s Creativity Museum
Museum of Children’s Art
Cantor Arts Center
Our Book of the Month for January and February is Wordy Birdy by Tammi Sauer. Wordy Birdy loves words and she talks – A LOT! A hilarious and fun book with an important message about listening and communication. Learning how to listen is a crucial aspect of communication and at school, we teach children about Whole Body Listening where each part of our body plays a part in showing someone that we are listening to them.
You may want to take a look at these tips on positive ways to talk and listen with your child at home. Asking specific questions, for example, is a great way to invite children to open up and let them know you are really listening. Effective communication helps build strong relationships and is a skill that children will be able to utilize in every aspect of their life!

- * Ownership: Taking charge of your own learning
- * Persistence: Sticking with something even when it is challenging
- * Perseverance: Steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success
- * Resilience: When you are having trouble, pause, take a breath and clear your mind then get back up and keep working!
