Nibbles makes us ask: What is a weed?

I've only read 2 books in this series #outloud to my students, and by far, this edition is the funniest. It's about having space and accepting others. It has a touch of romance. Romance is hard to find in the pre-K to 3rd grade target range.

Instead of reading, I've been making hats. I've tried a couple of audio books, but I can't concentrate. I'm hoping this #readingslump ends soon. I do like the new hobby, though.

Need a good laugh? Start by pronouncing it bənänä instead of bənănə. Or... or instead of piränə (I've never heard it pronounced with an ñ) oh never mind! Just make them rhyme. You will not be disappointed. TW: There will be butts.

Inspired by the classic hand game, Mr. Wiggle & Mr. Waggle. Illustrated by Pete Oswald. Includes a dog and a cat, several birds. And then Deedy is so great my kids love her books. ❤️ I read it #outloud to a tough crowd today, and more than half enjoyed it. Some kids just can't be pleased.

I listened to the audio book and found the narrator a little distracting. I'm just not an audio book person, but I'm trying. The book was great. It describes the past and current Asian American experience with a dual timeline. The story covers family experience, responsibility, perseverance, grief, and loss while maintaining light, humor, and hope. If you liked Front Desk, you'll live this book too.

How lucky was I to grow up with Judy Blume? I don't normally post about movies or TV. programs, but this was irresistible. I didn't know she had a bookstore in Key West. I could never go there, though. When I met real authors, I blubber (I really can't help the puns).
https://youtu.be/neWsO1Rk_q0

I found a lot to love about this book. I could really relate to the family dynamic. I'm glad I read the Devil's Arithmetic first. It gave this book another level of wow. I don't live in an area where book banning is a problem. The community where the story took place seemed surreal to me, maybe too, phony. But then I need to get out more. Having an HOA is bad enough, I can't imagine a whole town putting up with this.

Ice cream and hugs are nice.

I especially ❤️ the way this book includes helpful ways to improve climate change. We need to give our kids hope. #underthedustcover Happy belated 🌎 day!

Looking at my TBR list, I decided to read Attack of the Black Rectangles. When I read the summary, it occurred to me to read this first. I was bummed to see that I'd be reading about the holocaust. I'm still traumatized by the last book I read a couple of years ago and took a break. It also occurred to me that I have only read one other book by Yolen, and now I can say that she's a genius. This book was amazing.

This came in my most recent book order. It's really good, but weird. I read it to many of my students, and it triggered a lot of thinking. We've been talking a lot about cake-brain as a way to explain poor impulse control. This book provides a scene that clearly illustrates cake-brain. Its point is to demonstrate how we all want to be treated (deserve to be treated) despite how we are perceived.

I ordered this sight unseen. It looked cute! Read it for the 1st time #outloud to a group of kindergarteners while a couple of teachers were in the room. I got a little nervous on this page. I mean, Are you There God? It's me, Mandy... just reading this puberty 😳 analogy to your kids, nothing to it. Why are we so uptight? I'm asking you, 🇺🇸. I blame the puritans. The author is 🇨🇦. Canadians aren't weired about this stuff.

I Really Want the Cake was a hit at my book fair, priced at $2 for the paper back. Meanwhile, this arrived in a book order, and I think this is even better. The kids loved hearing it read #outloud

That's me at the party 🥳. Everyone else is playing Lazer Tag while I hold down the table with my book. Yumi Chung was adorable. Just a cute middle grade chapter book about a shy child finding her voice.

I got my first invitation to read a book to review with a link to the book on Kindle Unlimited. I have 2 good friends with kids fighting aggressive cancer. I've lost too many good friends to cancer. #cancersucks
Anything that alleviates the pain and suffering is gold in my book. Even if it's only for a moment. This book is precious.

An oldie but a goodie. Nominated for the 2018 #WCCPBA, Fruit Bowl showed up in my book fair. I read it #outloud to my youngest students, who were barely blips when I read it to the whole school in 2017. It's weird when I think I just read a book and then realize those kids aren't even kids anymore. 😳 But seriously, are you aware of all the vegetable imposters out there?

This came in the book fair, and I 😍 it. I shared it with most of my school. It was too long to read in the time I had, so it was a long #booktalk. I think my biggest takeaway was the complexity of inflation and how 1 cent in 1885 is worth 26 cents today. I like how Pulitzer is a character and how he inspired people to work together. The kids were amazed that the story took place before our state was admitted to the union. 🇺🇸 🗽 🇫🇷

I think teachers love these books. You can linger on a page and do some social emotional learning. Reynolds usually provides easy printables and lesson ideas, and that eliminates the work. When I first saw this cover, I was worried it would be political, but it's not. Everyone can relax 😆

#scholasticbookfair time! Thirty conference care kits for the teachers. Books as prizes for the preview party tomorrow. I'm already exhausted.

I need to simplify. I'm not finding time to read. I think I need to ditch the puzzle apps on my phone🤔🙄 I liked this book, but it took almost 20 days to read. And now book fair is this week, so I'm not going to find any time soon. 🙃 Spring break, though... that's around the corner.

This picture is of Mardi at the Palm Beach zoo. Of my 300 kids, I was impressed by how many have been to see Mardi 3,300 miles away! I also love when the subtitle says it's a true story, then after I read the book #outloud, kids gasp when they see in the back matter photographs because they didn't know it was true. #WCCPBA 2023 nominee

Yesterday, they closed my library and made me teach 1st grade. We could hear half the pod erupt in leprechaun chaos while we had our class meeting. The kids were despondent waiting for me to sort out poorly laid plans. A parent came in and asked if I needed help. 🙏. I sent her to my library to get this book. At the end of the day, we had a parfait partay, a movie, and everything worked out. #stpatricksday

I find it interesting when I read to my students that when you ask about feelings, they can only name 3: happy, sad, or mad. This book forced us to talk about very complex feelings like jealousy and guilt, which are really combinations of shame and worry. #WCCPBA 2023 nominee #underthedustcover #readoutloud

I don't follow the sports, but my kids do. Instead of reading this out loud to them, I showed the video where he reads it in celebration of 🌎 read aloud day that same week. #WCCPBA 2023 nominee #underthedustcover

My son heard that mecha Godzilla features in this book, and he knew there was a movie. He hinted that he wanted me to read the book to him because he knows I'm a book before movie fanatic. Well. I'm not ready for him to read this, and a mother should not read it to her son. The movie is only pg-13, so I might just let him skip to the movie. Prove me wrong. This turned out to be a great way to break my fever. I go back to work tomorrow.

This was a treat I got for myself, and it came in handy on a sick day while I was pretending to miss being at work.

Donuts are the theme of the day. This book is adorable, and hysterical. It's about belonging.

Fun graphic novel. Every time I see a donut machine, I think of Homer Price. This book will leave you hungry like a squirrel.

Woke up late, I have a cold, stitches from carpal tunnel surgery, and one of my legs is wrapped because the edema is so bad. Clearly, I'm staying home from work and celebrating my litsyversary

😊 happy day to @Deifio @tenar @TracyReadsBooks @MaureenMc @dylanisreading & @Airykah13

And @fredamans, for always being so inclusive and welcoming!

This book is just beautiful. Everything Sophie Blackall touches is just amazing.

Fascinating true story that doesn't end well. Kids that like creepy mysteries will love this.

Randy cracks me up! 😆 I need to get the other badly drawn horse books. This is the author of Ogilvy, which I also loved.

Silly and adorable!

I was a little underwhelmed. Maybe if I liked poetry more or had a toddler that could appreciate the pattern of this book? 🤔

Within 2 pages, I hated this book. The mom was so detestable. I had to pause. Eventually, I came back to it, got disgusted, and stopped reading again. I didn't think I'd pick it back up, but I recalled it had good reviews, and I was intrigued. I didn't know it was a true story! Knowing it was all true somehow redeemed it. It's a tough read. Middle school kids love this stuff. Sometimes, I forget I'm not the intended audience.

#underthedustcover #blackhistorymonth #weneedmorebookslikethis

The author intended this book to facilitate the Big Talk. It's a beautiful and empowering poem. The illustrations are gorgeous. #blacklivesmatter #underthedustcover

The rhyming didn't irritate me in this gem about Gene, your me-my-mine dot. An #everybodybook about characteristics that make us unique.

A parent just donated this to my library. Waitlisted before I could get it wrapped. #underthedustcover

I love it when a song becomes a book. Peter Reynolds was the perfect choice to illustrate this. Kids are so stressed right now, and I think they could use this song. The dedication page hit my ❤️ and now I'm 😭 .

Filled with Japanese sayings and vocabulary, this kitty goes from stray to home by learning from a sumo wrestler who is afraid of mice. I laughed out loud. #catsoflitsy

#PNW debut author Donna Barba Higuera writes about moving to a new community and overcoming homesickness and fear of fitting in at school. I love the Spanglish, but still need more pronounciation and translation support before reading this out loud. Spanish is my 3rd language, I need more practice.

I am asleep at the wheel! How have I never read a Sanders book? I think I have 3 of his 15 in my library.

This is adorable. Any parent with a toddler can appreciate the humor. I wish I read it before lunch instead of during. Trigger warning: toddlers are disgusting. And that's a fact.

Short and adorable. I could see using this with primary kids while building a culture of inclusion.

I'm compelled to do a bias check. I know there must be POC in Denmark. The figure I counted as POC in this book was most certainly Caucasian but fit the stereotype of Muslim. This book came out in 2021. The U? Category means it was unclear what the gender was. I did not count gingerbread people or figures dressed as sharks or unicorns. But there were more pandas than POC.
I love LEGO, but they need to get with the times.

On the eve of SuperSportsBall #StuperbowlSunday
I can relate with Krabbit.

This book is absurd and funny, but I couldn't help but see it as an analogy of women's liberation in the workforce. #catsoflitsy #caturday I need a 🐈 but I'm not going to get a 🐈‍⬛️ until I find a cat-nanny.

Are you Salty 🐌 or 🦀? Do you think deep thoughts or mostly about food? I have to admit, I think about food. I love Beth Ferry books about friendship. They are adorable.

I'm always looking for versions of folktales and fairytales to add to my 398.2s, but the use of the word "original" is an instant turn-off. There are over 500 versions of Cinderella, and if we define "hero" like J. Campbell, we know she is the hero, not the prince. He does not rescue her. She is transformed. Her rise in status via marriage suited pre 21st C convention. So it's nice to have a modern version.

? ? this paragraph will make a teacher blubber in June. If you loved the One and Only Ivan, you'll love this too. I'm not sure why "Sea Otter" by Ezterhaz wasn't in the back of this book, but almost everything I know about otters is from Ezterhaz. Both books will make you want to watch the otter cams at Monterey or the Seattle aquarium. #playlikeanotter